Two Decades Of Wait Over: Vasai Man Missing Since 2007 Reunites With Family After Accident

Last Updated:February 08, 2026, 18:28 IST

Santosh Damodar Patil had disappeared around the time he was deeply affected by the sudden death of his elder brother.

A man missing since 2007 has finally been traced, leading to an emotional reunion with his family after nearly two decades. The Vasai resident was identified following treatment at a hospital in Miraj, where he was admitted after a road accident.

Santosh Damodar Patil, originally from Vasai in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, had disappeared around the time he was deeply affected by the sudden death of his elder brother.

Overwhelmed by grief, he left home without informing anyone, and his family lost contact. Santosh had been running a small paan shop in Vasai before he went missing. Despite extensive searches in the initial years, no trace of him was found, and over time, his family feared he might have died.

According to The Free Press Journal report, Santosh spent years wandering across various places and had been living in the Sangli–Miraj region before the accident that led to his discovery.

On January 13, he sustained injuries in a road accident and was admitted to a government hospital as an unidentified patient. He was later moved to a shelter facility for treatment.

During his stay, a social service officer spoke with him and gathered essential details. Santosh revealed his name and stated that he was from Vasai. The information was relayed to contacts in the Vasai area, eventually reaching local corporator Ganesh Patil, who was Santosh’s cousin. The family confirmed his identity through a video call.

Following confirmation, Santosh’s wife, Manda, and son, Harshad, travelled to Miraj. After completing formalities, they brought him home, culminating in a long-awaited reunion. The hospital’s social service team was commended for their role in identifying him and reuniting him with his family.

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