RMH, Maharashtra police & diplomats blur border for mentally ill

NAGPUR: A mentally challenged woman in her mid-30s landed in Gondia, 1,600km away from her native village in Noakhali, Bangladesh, under unexplained circumstances. She was rescued by Gondia cops, shifted to Regional Mental Hospital (RMH), Nagpur, treated, and reunited with her family after six years through diplomatic efforts and alacrity shown by Nagpur police.

The remarkable reunion of the woman, Mona (name changed), with her family in Bangladesh materialised on June 12.

On April 30, Mona was admitted to RMH by Gondia police. With no identification and only her name to share, she offered few clues about her origin. Under RMH's medical care, her condition stabilised, allowing her to recall fragments of her past. This sparked a search led by social service superintendent Kunda Bidkar (Katekhaye).Bidkar's attempts to trace Mona's family in Madhya Pradesh yielded no results. Undeterred, she turned to digital tools, using Google, Facebook, and language interpreters, even involving her son to scour social media. Her persistence paid off when she connected with Tapan Prodhan of Ishwar Sankalp Foundation, Kolkata, who collaborated with Shamsul Huda in Bangladesh. Huda verified Mona's address within 15 minutes, confirming she was from Bangladesh and was missing for over six years.

Her family, who searched tirelessly, presumed she was dead. The reunion process required intricate coordination with the High Commission in Delhi and deputy commissioners in Kolkata and Mumbai. "We still don't know how she entered India and landed in Gondia," said Bidkar. Bidkar sought support from Union minister Nitin Gadkari's office and Nagpur district collector Vipin Itankar. The case was referred to the SP, Gondia, with constable Sanjay Badwaik coordinating efforts.On May 13, Mona received a travel permit, marking a critical milestone. After completing immigration formalities at Howrah railway intelligence bureau, Mona was handed over to Border Guard Bangladesh, her brother, and a Bangladeshi NGO.