MYSURU: In a heartwarming example of how social media can change lives, a 60-year-old man who had gone missing from home and was living as a destitute for weeks in Chamarajanagar district, was finally reunited with his loved ones, thanks to a reel and social media post.
Pritam Singh (60), a native of Dhanwasi village in Amarpur taluk of Dindori district, Madhya Pradesh, had come to Karnataka with his family in search of daily-wage work. During their stay, he was accidentally separated from his family. With no knowledge of the local language, no phone number of his relatives, and no clear idea how to return home, Singh was completely stranded.
Speaking only Hindi, Pritam Singh wandered around Yelandur bus stand area, spending his days roaming aimlessly and sleeping by the roadside. For his family back in Madhya Pradesh, he was presumed missing, with no clue about his whereabouts. Noticing the elderly man’s condition, Yelandur police stepped in, and on November 11, shifted him to the Jnana Sindhu Old Age Home at Santemaralli.
Though he was safe and cared for, Singh remained distressed, repeatedly speaking in Hindi about his village and family. However, due to language barriers and uncertainty about the exact details he provided, identifying his native place initially proved difficult.
Determined to reunite him with his family, old age home superintendent M Mahadevaswamy and social worker HB Prakash explored every possible option. A breakthrough came with Mahesh, a regular visitor to the old age home as part of a health awareness programme.
Realising the potential of social media, Mahesh recorded a short video of Pritam Singh and uploaded it as an Instagram reel, appealing for help. The video was shared in Instagram groups linked to Dindori district in Madhya Pradesh.
The reel quickly reached the right people, and family members recognised Singh from the video and contacted authorities. Acting on information received through Instagram, Singh’s son, Rajesh Singh Dhurvi, travelled from Madhya Pradesh to Santemaralli on December 30.
Following due legal procedures, Yelandur police formally handed over Singh to his son. The reunion marked the end of weeks of uncertainty and hardship for both Singh and his family.
Mahadevaswamy told TNIE that police had brought Pritam Singh to the home after finding him near Yelandur bus stand. Mahesh uploaded his video on Instagram, which helped trace his family. His son later came here and took him home, he said.