Woman from West Bengal reunited with her family
In a heart-warming initiative, the Mandi district administration today reunited an elderly woman living in an Old Age Home at Bhangrotu in Mandi district with her family from West Bengal. The woman, who had been residing at the Bhangrotu Old Age Home for over a year, was reunited with her relatives in the presence of Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan and other administration officials.
The woman, identified as Padma Murmu, had been living at the Bhangrotu Old Age Home in the Balh sub-division since September 2023 after being found in Bilaspur district. Her case was first brought to the attention by the Bilaspur police. Her journey eventually led her to the Balh Valley.
On December 26, 2024, SDM Balh, Smritika Negi, visited the Bhangrotu Old Age Home, where she observed the elderly woman. Despite the language barrier, Smritika Negi made a efforts to communicate with her. She contacted the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials to assist in finding a Bengali-speaking person. Rabiul SK, an NHAI employee from Birbhum, was sent to interact with the woman, which eventually led to the discovery of her identity and family details.
The elderly woman, Padma Murmu, revealed that she was from Asanpur village in Hooghly district of West Bengal. She had left her home after a family dispute a few years ago and her husband had passed away. She was eager to return to her family, which prompted the Mandi administration to step in and trace her relatives.
Following coordination with authorities in West Bengal, the administration confirmed her details and contacted her nephew, Bablu Murmu, who arrived with a team from West Bengal. After completing necessary formalities, Padma Murmu was handed over to her family members.
The reunion was an emotional moment for both Padma and her family, with tears of joy flowing as they embraced each other. The family expressed their gratitude to the district administration for efforts in reuniting them.
Sundari Chatterjee, a social welfare supervisor from West Bengal, shared that Padma had been missing for several years and that her family had filed a missing person's report with the police.
The Deputy Commissioner praised the efforts of all involved in the reunion, highlighting the district administration's commitment to supporting the elderly, especially those residing in old age homes. He thanked the entire team, including the administrative and departmental personnel, for their coordinated efforts.
