KOZHIKODE: Leelavati, known as Makkani, a 55-year-old woman from Bihar, has finally reclaimed her place among loved ones after 18 years of separation. Clutching her one-and-a-half-year-old son, she had wandered into Kozhikode in 2007, having lost her sanity. Now, through the relentless efforts of retired Central Home Ministry officer and social worker M Sivan, Makkani’s heart-wrenching journey has culminated in a tearful reunion with her siblings, Ramsundar and Simur. She has set off for her homeland in Bihar.
The story began in 2007 when Kozhikode Town Police found a young woman wandering with her infant son. Identified as Makkani, she was admitted to the Government Mental Health Centre in Kuthiravattom, Kozhikode, while her son, Anand, was placed in a local children’s home and later transferred to a children’s home in Wayanad.
As Makkani’s mental health improved, she was moved to the Government Asha Bhavan in Mayanad, Kozhikode, where she lived for years, longing to meet her family.
The breakthrough came recently when Sivan visited the Asha Bhavan. During their conversation, Makkani revealed that she hailed from the Kudra police station limits in Bhabua district, Bihar. Acting swiftly, Sivan contacted the Kudra police, who traced her family.
The police confirmed that Makkani’s mother and siblings were still in Bihar, though her husband had remarried. The emotional reunion was set in motion as her siblings travelled to Kozhikode to bring her home.
Makkani’s son, Anand, now 19, was also located. He had grown up in care homes and was working as a vehicle parking attendant, first at Thuravoor Railway Station in Alappuzha and now at Nilambur Railway Station in Malappuram.
Though Anand met his mother before her departure, he chose to stay back due to his recent job but plans to join his family in Bihar in a few months. Makkani’s siblings arrived at the Asha Bhavan on Wednesday morning. After the emotional reunion with siblings she thanked the Asha Bhavan staff, residents and Sivan for their support.