Himachal man missing for 15 years due to memory loss reunited with family via social media

Hamirpur (HP), Dec 8 (PTI) A man, who went missing on his way to Tripura for his first posting in the General Reserve Engineer Force, was reunited with his family after 15 years, thanks to social media.

The return of Baldev, a resident of Ghirtholi village in Himachal's Hamirpur district, resembled a festival, with family members and villagers welcoming him with drums and trumpets, followed by aarti.

Relatives, friends and villagers flocked to the house throughout the day, and the family members were emotional and overwhelmed after seeing Baldev safe and sound.

The General Reserve Engineer Force is a vital component of the Indian Army. It operates under the Border Roads Organisation, and its mandate is to build and maintain roads, bridges and other infrastructure along border areas and in strategic locations to ensure troop movement and supply.

Baldev’s brother Pratap said on Monday that 15 years ago, Baldev had gone missing while he was on his way to join his first posting. He last spoke to the family from Delhi, but then disappeared. He neither joined the Army nor returned home as he lost his memory.

The family filed a missing person report, but for years, there was no trace of him. Now, after 15 years, the family finally found him through social media.

"At the time of his disappearance, Baldev had lost his memory; he lived in a cow shelter in Hisar (Haryana) for nine years, but was asked to leave during Covid-19. Later, a family from Rajasthan spotted him and took him with them," Pratap said.

Baldev would often talk about his home in Hamirpur, sometimes saying his home was in Una. Hearing these recollections, the Rajasthan family made a video of him and uploaded it on Facebook, he said.

Baldev's sister-in-law recognised him when she came across the video, and the entire family then left for Rajasthan on Saturday to bring him home.

Local MLA Captain Ranjit Singh, panchayat head Kanta Devi and District General Secretary of the Rajput Mahasabha, Jogendra Thakur, arrived to welcome him and share their joy by offering sweets to the family.

Baldev's family explained that his memory remains weak, due to which he can recognise only a few people. He can remember only the faces of his family members, classmates, and those with whom he lived. PTI COR BPL PRK PRK