Balasore: In a world where deceit often dominates, a noble gesture displayed by a man here has affirmed that humanity still exists and is well within our reach. When Ranjan Kumar Samantaray had possession of a box with 'lost' gold ornaments, he could have easily kept those for himself. But instead of succumbing to greed, he chose to return the valuables to its rightful owner.
On January 1, Gautam Kamila, a jeweller from Kaumari market in Baliapal area of Odisha's Balasore district, was returning to his house in Chandamani with 45 gold lockets worth over Rs 2 lakh. However, accidentally the box containing the ornaments fell somewhere on the way, leaving him and his family members anxious.
Meanwhile, a young boy stumbled upon the box and handed it over to Ranjan Kumar Samantaray, who runs a clinic in Kashipur. By the time Ranjan could respond, the boy vanished from the clinic. Skeptical at first, Ranjan decided to open the box and found gold lockets inside. When he realised that it was authentic and original gold, Ranjan immediately reached Baliapal police station and handed over the box to police for necessary action.
Ranjan narrated, "I was sitting in my clinic when a 10-12 year old boy handed me a box and said that it had gold in it. He said someone had dropped it. I did not believe him. The boy left before I could realise what he was actually saying. When I saw gold inside the box, I apprised the matter to Baliapal police."
“I could gauge the worry this loss would cause to someone. As a businessman myself, I understand the pain of losing something so valuable. It's not just about the money. Keeping someone else's valuables would be a sin," Ranjan shared.
With assistance from police, Gautam Kamila was informed about recovery of his gold lockets. He rushed to the police station to retrieve the ornaments. “I thought my life was over when I lost those lockets. This young man’s honesty saved me. He returned what I believed was gone forever. I am a small trader, I will never forget this gesture,” said Gautam, trying to hold back his tears.
Recognition For Honesty
After the incident came to the notice of the higher authorities, Balasore SP Raj Prasad felicitated Ranjan with a letter of appreciation at the district police headquarters. “These days, honesty seems rare, but Ranjan’s actions remind us of the humanity that still exists in people. I would like to send a message to the society. I urge everyone to act with honesty and humanity. Returning something which belongs to others is not just the right thing but also brings immense satisfaction within,” the SP remarked.
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