Daijiworld Media Network- Nagpur

Nagpur, Jun 17: In a heartwarming tale of compassion and perseverance, a mentally ill woman from Noakhali in Bangladesh who had been wandering in Maharashtra’s Gondia district for over a year, was finally reunited with her family earlier this month, thanks to tireless efforts by police, hospital staff, and social workers.

The woman, believed to be in her mid-thirties, was first discovered by villagers in Pujari Tola, Gondia, in April 2023. Concerned for her well-being, locals alerted the Rawanwadi Police Station. Assistant Police Inspector Shashikiran Nawkar confirmed that she was taken into protective custody on April 30 and briefly admitted to a local psychiatric ward before being shifted to the Regional Mental Hospital (RMH) in Nagpur.

At RMH, she was placed under the care of social service superintendent Kunda Bidkar, whose role turned out to be instrumental in helping the woman reclaim her lost identity. “Initially, she was completely unresponsive. She didn’t talk or engage, often withdrawing to corners of the ward,” recalled Bidkar.

It took nearly four months of consistent psychiatric care and patient counseling before she began to respond — at first with single words, and gradually in full sentences. As fragments of her memories began returning, so did vital details about her origin. With the help of hospital authorities and local NGOs, the staff managed to trace her roots back to Noakhali, Bangladesh.

Coordinating with the Bangladeshi consulate and relevant border authorities, arrangements were made for her safe return. Earlier this month, her family, who had long given up hope of finding her, were finally able to welcome her back home.

“It wasn’t just about reuniting her with her family—it was about helping her find herself again,” said Bidkar, who described the moment of reunion as emotional and overwhelming.

The case has drawn attention to the need for cross-border coordination in mental health and humanitarian rescue cases, especially in regions where migration and displacement are common due to socio-economic pressures.

Authorities hope this success story inspires more collaborative efforts to assist the mentally ill and missing individuals across South Asia.