Jharkhand man missing for 15 years found just as family applied for death certificate: Report

The Jharkhand man, who went missing in Kolkata 15 years ago, was sheltered by a family in West Bengal's Raniganj.

A man who went missing in Kolkata 15 years year ago was reportedly reunited with his family recently, just as they had applied for his death certificate, giving up on hopes of finding him. According to a News18 , the man, originally from a village in Jharkhand's Koderma district, was found after he had a recollection of his roots, purportedly upon hearing the word "Mahakumbh"

The man, now 52, was reunited with family and taken back to his village in Jharkhand. (Representational image/Pixabay)

Vanished without a trace

The man, Prakash Mahato, worked for Kolkata Municipal Corporation and suffered from mental health issues. In May 2010, while travelling to work, he mysteriously disappeared. His family promptly filed a missing person report at a police station in their village in Jharkhand. Despite extensive searches, his whereabouts remained unknown for over a decade.

Recently, the police in their village of Markacho, around 184 km from state capital Ranchi, received a call from a hotel operator in West Bengal's Raniganj, regarding a man he had sheltered for years. The authorities contacted Mahato’s family, who rushed to Raniganj to confirm his identity, according to the News18 report.

Sumit Sao, the Bengal hotel operator whose father had offered Mahato a job at their hotel 15 years ago, recounted the story. Mahato, known as “Wrestler” at the hotel, had reportedly been living and working there ever since. Sumit explained that his father had taken Mahato in, providing him with shelter and a job, and he had become like family.

Sumit claimed that the breakthrough came when his family was discussing travelling to Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh to attend the ongoing Mahakumbh Mela. This is when, according to News18, Mahato insisted he must attend the relgious gathering, as his home was on the way. This prompted Sumit to question him further, leading to the revelation of his actual identity and address. Sumit immediately informed the local police, who then coordinated with their counterparts in Jharkhand.

Homecoming and emotional closure

The station house officer of Markacho Police Station officially reunited Mahato, now 52, with his wife, Geeta Devi, and their children, Sujal (18) and Rani (16). Geeta, who had raised her children alone while working as a labourer, was overwhelmed with emotion. Her children, who had only seen their father in photographs, finally met him in person.

Interestingly, just 10 days before this reunion, Kolkata Municipal Corporation had sent a letter regarding outstanding payments linked to Mahato’s absence. Following government regulations, the family had applied for a death certificate, unaware that Mahato was alive. However, the application remains pending due to incomplete documentation, according to the report.

As a final gesture, the hotel operator in Bengal, whose family had sheltered Mahato, assured the Jharkhand man and his family that he would soon take them to the Kumbh Mela.