Bharatpur: An ashram named 'Apna Ghar Ashram' in Rajasthan's Bharatpur reunites brothers and sisters on the eve of "Bhai Dooj", a festival dedicated to brothers and sisters. People who got separated from their families because of mental woes or vivid reasons were rescued by the volunteers of the ashram and taken care of.
On the occasion of 'Bhai Dooj', a team of ETV Bharat, went to the Apna Ghar Ashram and interacted with the founder Dr. BN Bharadwaj. "Like other festivals, Bhai Dhooj is also celebrated in the ashram. We try to contact the family members of these helpless people or sometimes family members reach out in search of their loved ones and they get reunited," he said.
"In the last 22 years, more than 23000 people have been reunited with their families. More than half of these were siblings who met each other after years. Currently, we have a five-member team for the rescue operations which remains constantly in touch with police stations and other social organizations and also keeps an eye on social media," Bharadwaj added further.
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Rohit (29), a resident of Naipur village in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, had left his house 5 years ago because of an unstable mental condition. Volunteers of Apna Ghar Ashram recovered Rohit in an injured condition at the Pooth Khurd area in Delhi in a pitiable state and found him to be blind. Rohit was brought to the ashram and since then was looked after and treated in the ashram.
Later, as Rohit's condition improved, he disclosed his address, and a team was sent to inform his family members. On receiving information about Rohit's being alive and doing well, his sister Radha reached the ashram to take back her brother. After seeing her handicapped brother after many years, the sister broke down and said "I had even applied for my brother's death certificate considering him to be dead," she informed.
