Mentally challenged youth reunites with his family after 7 years in Bhind, courtesy social media

The youth was mentally challenged and went missing seven years back. An organisation found him on the streets of Gujarat and posted his photograph on social media groups. A journalist of his neighborhood got the forwarded photograph and spoke to the youth's family. He then contacted the organisation and the family went to Gujarat to bring their son back home.

Bhind (Madhya Pradesh): Bhogiram Khatik's family from Mehgaon in Bhind got reunited with their 28-year-old son, who had gone missing seven years back, with the help of social media.

Indal Khatik, who was mentally challenged had travelled off to Gujarat and wandered on the streets for several months before being given shelter by an organisation. Indal returned home today. The entire neighbourhood celebrated Indal's return along with his family. The people of the area gathered at his house to take part in the celebrations.

The family members expressed their love by garlanding Indal and distributing sweets. Indal's father Bhogiram Khatik was extremely happy and was left speechless after seeing his son. If a missing person does not return home for seven years or there is no news about him, the judiciary declares him dead, he said adding, "We had always been waiting for Indal's return."

Indal's mother, Badami, emotional after getting back her son said that Indal had disappeared two days after Dussehra seven years back. He was suffering from mental illness and was 21 years old at that time. After the family found Indal missing, they went to the police but a missing complaint could not be filed due to absence of an Aadhaar card. The family continued searching for him in nearby villages and districts but could not get any news about him.

A week back, a journalist living in the neighborhood contacted the family and showed them a photograph of Indal, who was with an organisation involved in social service in Gujarat. After hearing this, the family members rushed to Kutch in Gujarat and then returned home with their son.

Journalist Pradeep Chaudhary, who helped in reuniting the family with their son, said that few days ago he got a forwarded photograph on a social media group where it was stated that the man is mentally challenged and not in a position to tell his address. It stated that he is staying with a Gujarat organisation named Manav Jyot Sanstha.

Since Chaudhary knew the youth since childhood, he immediately spoke to his family members and showed them his photograph. Then, he contacted the organisation and spoke to them on video call. After which, the family members went to Kutch and took their son back home.

President of Manav Jyot Social Organization of Gujarat, Prabodh H. Munwar said that this youth was found wandering on the roads of Gujarat seven years back and was brought to the ashram as he could not say where he lived. Since then, the organisation has been trying to locate his family.