Missing for 28 years, Kotulpur man returns home from Andhra Pradesh Mental Hospital

Bishwajit Pain, a resident of Madanmohanpur village in Kotulpur, Bankura district, has been reunited with his family after being missing for 28 years. The 52-year-old man was located in a mental health facility in Andhra Pradesh, where he had been receiving treatment for an undisclosed period. His disappearance in 1996, at the age of 24, had left his family in a state of constant distress, and despite extensive efforts to locate him, he remained untraceable until recently.

Bishwajit's mental health issues began when he was 24, prompting his family to seek medical treatment. They took him to Burdwan, where he was treated by a local doctor, but he mysteriously disappeared from the city during the course of his treatment. His family immediately began searching for him across multiple locations, including hospitals, police stations, and relatives’ homes, but their search yielded no results. As the years passed, with no leads on his whereabouts, the family came to a tragic conclusion that Bishwajit might have died.

However, a breakthrough came when a doctor from a mental health hospital in Andhra Pradesh contacted Kotulpur police, reporting that a patient named Bishwajit had been undergoing treatment there. The doctor confirmed that Bishwajit had managed to recall his home address during a conversation. The police promptly informed Bishwajit's family, who were both surprised and hopeful. His elder brother, who initially struggled to recognize him after so many years, eventually identified Bishwajit during a visit to the hospital.

Following this confirmation, Bishwajit's family made arrangements to bring him back to Kotulpur. His brother traveled to Andhra Pradesh to accompany him back to their village. Bishwajit arrived in Kotulpur after 28 years, where he was greeted by his family, who had never given up hope of finding him, even though they had feared the worst. The emotional reunion marked the end of a long chapter of uncertainty and grief for the family.