Patna: An Indian man presumed dead 12 ago has been found lodged in a jail in Pakistan. This has brought sudden happiness to his family, who had even performed his last rites after he didn’t return home for long. His family members have now appealed to the Indian government to ensure his safe release from the jail.
Chhavi Kumar, 35, a resident of Khilafarpur village, located in Chausa block in Buxur district, went missing when he was 23. Anxious family launched an extensive search for him but couldn’t trace him, despite their efforts.
Eventually, they performed his last rites, presuming he might have died. His young wife Anita Kumari married another man after waiting for Kumar for two years.
Chhavi’s family members were pleasantly surprised when the local police contacted them Thursday, informing that they received a letter from a man by the name of Chhavi, who claims to be from Khilafatpur in India, and is lodged in a jail in Pakistan.
The police also showed them a photograph to know if they could identify the youth. They instantly identified the man as Chhavi Kumar who, they added, had gone missing from his house since 2009 as he was mentally unstable.
“I never imagined even my wildest dream that he could be alive. We already had performed his last rites believing he is no more. Now, we are being told that he is lodged in a Pakistani jail. We are very happy to get news of his well being,” Kumar’s mother Vriti Devi told the media on Saturday. She has now urged the Indian government to ensure his safe return to the family.
“I want to see him before I am dead,” said Devi. She said she had no idea how he reached Pakistan.
Youth’s elder brother Ravi Kumar said Chhavi was around 23 when he went missing. “However, we didn’t inform the local police since he had returned home in the past after remaining away for a few days. But, this time, he did not return home even after a long time, so we finally performed the last rites. Now we have been informed he is alive and is lodged in a Pakistani jail. We recognised him as soon as we saw his picture,” Ravi said.
Local police officer Amit Kumar said they contacted the family after receiving a letter from the Special Branch. “The youth has been identified and we are sending the report to the department concerned,” Kumar said.
Reports said the Special Branch had received the letter from the External Affairs Ministry. The letter, however, doesn’t mention how the youth reached Pakistan or in which jail he has been kept, the police official said.
