A poignant reunion unfolded in Bihar as a man met his family after being separated for 21 years. The family recounted how Sonu went missing in 2004. He had been staying at his aunt’s home when he disappeared, triggering extensive searches that yielded no results. The police were notified. The mother was devastated by Sonu’s disappearance and succumbed to the grief. Now, Sonu’s return has brought immense joy to everyone.
Harishankar Prasad Singh, a resident of Pakda village in Navgachia, Bhagalpur district, had his son, Sonu Kumar, also known as Manoj Kaptan, vanish from Raxaul in April 2004. He was around eight or nine years old at the time. Sonu was staying with his aunt, Nirmala Devi. On the day of his disappearance, the aunt was away visiting relatives. Upon her return, she discovered Sonu was gone. This news plunged the entire family into grief. They searched tirelessly in villages, cities, and even Nepal, but found no trace of the boy. However, fate intervened unexpectedly on Friday evening.
When Harishankar was shown a picture and told that his son, Sonu, was admitted to Dhanbad Medical College Hospital, he was stunned. The entire family, filled with hope and a mixture of emotions, rushed to Dhanbad. Upon reaching the hospital, they identified Sonu. The sight of his son brought tears to Harishankar’s eyes, and he embraced him tightly.
Deepak Singh, a hospital staff member, played a pivotal role in the reunion. Deepak explained that he encountered a patient dragging himself along on Thursday morning and questioned him. The patient identified himself as Sonu. After struggling to remember, he stated he was from Navgachia village in Bhagalpur. He further mentioned he belonged to a Bhumihar Brahmin family but could not recall the village name. Deepak shared the photo and information with his relatives in Bhagalpur. With the assistance of social media, Deepak’s relatives spread the word among Bhumihar Brahmin families in Navgachia. The same night, Sonu’s family contacted Deepak to verify the information. The following day, the family arrived at the hospital.
The grief of separation was so intense that Sonu’s mother had passed away from shock two years earlier. Sonu was the second of four children, according to the family. Harishankar Prasad Singh was also deeply affected by Sonu’s disappearance. As years went by, the house was filled with a void. While other children grew up and formed their own families, the loss of one son remained a constant ache for Harishankar.