12 years a wanderer: West Bengal man, found in pitiable condition in Chennai, reunites with family

NGO worker spotted the West Bengal man, who seemed mentally ill and anemic, in Vadapalani last year
Makbul Hossain and Sahidul Haq
Makbul Hossain and Sahidul Haq

CHENNAI: It was a happy reunion after 12 years for teary-eyed 40-year-old Makbul Hossain after he met his brother Sahidul Haq from Cooch Behar district of West Bengal. Dressed up in rags with unkempt matted hair and talking to himself in Vadapalani, he was spotted by Jacob, a social worker from Udavum Karangal in January 2019.

“He seems to have had the habit of picking up unwanted things and so he had lots of wires, steel rods, broken plastic wares and used clothes. He also had a plastic bag with him containing some food given by the public,” recalls Jacob.

“I saw him in a very pitiable condition and when asked if he was willing to come with me to Udavum Karangal Home, where he would be taken care of, he immediately got into the ambulance,” says Jacob.

Vidyaakar, founder of Udavum Karangal, said Hossain seemed to be mentally ill and also anemic. “We immediately referred him to a psychiatrist, who diagnosed him as a psychotic patient. He was also anemic and was given four units of blood in the Udavum Karangal’s Gayathri Hospital,” said Vidyakar.

After some months of medication and psychiatric treatment, he almost became normal and started giving his family details. He divulged that he belonged to Chhodaatharakotha Village, Moamari Panchayat, Cooch Behar District in West Bengal. He had parents (father Jekir Uddin Miya and mother Mujjiya), four brothers and one sister named Momina.

He was also married to Moshina and had a son Majunu and daughter Mamatha. Though he could not give the exact address, he recalled Shalmara Masjid in his village. Srinivasa Rao, a social worker, googled the phone number of the mosque and with their help, reached out to the family. The family jumped in joy, as Makbul Hossain had been missing for 12 years.  

They immediately deputed his brother Sahidul Haq, who was working as a construction worker in Ernakulam, with the job of bringing him back. Tears welled up in their eyes as the brothers hugged each other. Vidyaakar, said, “Such instances of reunion after long separation is a life-saving event.

The social workers of Udavum Karangal work tirelessly to ensure every patient taken from the streets is medically treated, rehabilitated and reunited with the family, no matter where they reside, including north India or even foreign countries. Google, WhatsApp and social media have helped us achieve this goal  of reunion.” Udavum Karangal also arranged two berths for them under medical grounds in Train No 02551, YPRKYQ AC Express, for safe travel to West Bengal.

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