Daijiworld Media Network - Chamarajanagar
Chamarajanagar, Jan 3: A heartwarming demonstration of the power of social media has unfolded in Chamarajanagar, where a 60-year-old man, who had been living as a homeless person for several weeks, was reunited with his family thanks to an Instagram reel and social media outreach.
Preetam Singh (60), originally from Dhanwasi village in Amarpur taluk, Dindori district, Madhya Pradesh, had come to Karnataka with his family seeking daily-wage work. During this journey, he accidentally became separated from them.
Without knowledge of the local language, no contact details for his relatives, and no clear idea of how to return home, Singh found himself stranded. Speaking only Hindi, he wandered aimlessly near the Yelandur bus stand, sleeping on the roadside and unable to find his way.
His family in Madhya Pradesh, unaware of his whereabouts, feared the worst. Observing Singh’s vulnerable condition, the Yelandur police intervened and on November 11 shifted him to the Gnana Sindhu Old Age Home in Santemarahalli.
While he was safe and cared for at the shelter, Singh remained distressed, repeatedly speaking in Hindi about his village and family. Language barriers and uncertainties regarding the details he provided made it initially difficult to trace his home.
Determined to help Singh reconnect with his family, old age home superintendent M Mahadevaswamy and social worker H B Prakash explored every possible option. Realising the reach of social media, Mahesh, assisting in the effort, recorded a short video of Singh and uploaded it as an Instagram reel, appealing for assistance. The video was circulated in Instagram groups associated with Dindori district in Madhya Pradesh.
The reel quickly reached the right people, and Singh’s family members identified him from the video and contacted the authorities. Acting on this information, Singh’s son, Rajesh Singh Dhurvi, travelled from Madhya Pradesh to Santemarahalli on December 30.
Following due legal procedures, the Yelandur police formally handed Singh over to his son, ending weeks of uncertainty and emotional distress for the family.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Mahadevaswamy said, “The police found Preetam Singh near the Yelandur bus stand and brought him to the shelter. Mahesh uploaded his video on Instagram, which helped trace his family. Later, his son came and took him home.”
The reunion marked a deeply emotional and uplifting moment, underscoring the positive potential of social media to reconnect families and change lives, even across long distances.