Nagpur (Maharashtra): An old lady, Panchfula Shingane, a native of Khanjma Nagar in Achalpur taluka of Amravati district, who went missing from Nagpur in 1979 has been found in a village of Kotatala in Damua district of Madhya Pradesh after over 41 years.
The lost and found story of Panchfulabai appears quite filmy.
The Khan family, who have been selflessly serving her for 41 years, used social media to trace her hometown and have found her relatives. Since her reunion with her family, however, Khan family has been missing her every moment.
It was January 22nd, 1979 when 53-year-old Panchfulabai Shingane had come to Nagpur to visit her son Bhayyalal. Panchfulabai, who was mentally ill, suddenly got lost in the new city. Bhayyalal tried searching entire Achalpur taluka and Amravati district for his mother but in vain.
After a few years of search, the family gave up the search.
Panchfulabai, on the other hand, started living in a small village in Damua district in Madhya Pradesh which was about 500 km from Nagpur. She would not talk to anyone because of her dialect problem. She survived by eating whatever food she would get but she was looking for her son Bhayyalal in every man she could see.
One day when she was attacked by a bee, Noor Khan who was passing by could not see the pain she was in. He stopped his tractor and helped Panchfulabai. After making her comfortable under a tree, Noor Khan went back to his work, while returning back from his work, Panchfulabai was still sitting where he had left her.
After realising her story of lost Khan took her to his home and took care of her like his own sister. Not only Noor Khan but the entire Khan family considered Panchfulabai as part of their own family.
After nearly four decades, Panchfulabai had forgotten about her own family and was totally united with the joys and sorrows of the Khan family. It was during this period that Noor Khan passed away. Noor Khan's son Ifrar Khan had grown up. Ifrar made a video of Panchfulabai in 2018 and made it viral on social media but it did not get a lot of reaches, but Ifrar continued his efforts.
Since Panchfulabai only knew the names of Khanjma Nagar and Pathrot, he started searching for them on Google Maps. Following which, he contacted the villagers and gave information about her. He also sent a video of Panchfulabai. The senior citizens of the village identified the woman as Panchfulabai. However, in 2017, her son Bhayyalal passed away, but his wife immediately recognized her mother-in-law.
When Panchfulabai's grandson, Prithvi went to Damua to pick him up, Panchfulabai immediately agreed to accompany him, but the Khan family was reluctant to let her go. After 41 years of service, all the villagers wanted her to be in Damua. Panchfulabai has returned to Nagpur after 41 years. Although everything has changed during this period, her eyes are still searching for Bhayyalal.
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