Kidnapped at 8, reunited with family after 49 years thanks to miraculous clue

Azamgarh (The Uttam Hindu): At the age of 8, Phula Devi was kidnapped, but after 49 years, she was reunited with her family, thanks to a miraculous identification near a well. After her marriage, Phula Devi's life became happy and peaceful, while her family continued to search for her. When Phula Devi finally returned home after 49 years, her parents were no longer alive. It was the efforts of Azamgarh's ASP Shailendra Lal and Dr. Pooja Rani from the Primary School of Pajawa that helped reunite her with her relatives. Upon seeing Phula Devi, her brother joyously embraced her. This successful reunion, a result of Uttar Pradesh Police's Operation Muskan, brought smiles back to a family after nearly five decades. Phula Devi, who was kidnapped at the age of 8 in 1975, was finally reunited with her family.

Phula Devi, who hails from Vedpur village in the Raonapar police station area of Azamgarh, was just 8 years old when she was taken by an unknown person in 1975 during a visit to a fair in Moradabad. Despite the family’s extensive search, they couldn't find any trace of her. Meanwhile, Phula Devi was sold multiple times, and when she was of marriageable age, she was sold to a man named Lalta Prasad Gangwar from Rampur, whom she later married. The school principal, Dr. Pooja Rani, provided the police with crucial information. On December 19, she informed Azamgarh’s Assistant Police Superintendent (ASP) Shailendra Lal about a woman working as a cook at Primary School Pajawa in Bilaspur, Ramapur district, who was around 57 years old. Dr. Rani mentioned that this woman was originally from Moradabad and had been abducted by an unknown man in 1975. Acting swiftly on this information, Azamgarh police formed a team and notified all surrounding police stations.

When questioned about her village, Phula Devi recalled details such as having three uncles, one named Ramchandra who lived in the village of Chudidar, where their house had a courtyard with a well. The police used this information to expand their search. It led them to Chudidar village in the Mau district, where they found a man named Ramchandra, but he had passed away. His brother, named Ramhit, was contacted, and he confirmed that Phula Devi was indeed missing. Further investigation revealed that Phula Devi had a brother named Laladhar, who lived in Vedpur, the same area as her. Her family was informed, and they joyfully accepted Phula Devi back.

The success of this reunion was a result of Operation Muskan, a campaign by Azamgarh Police Superintendent Hemraj Meena, aimed at quickly recovering missing persons. The use of social media and collaboration with neighboring districts played a vital role in locating Phula Devi’s family. Azamgarh's Superintendent of Police, Hemraj Meena, explained that when the police received a tip about the missing girl, they launched an investigation. With extensive efforts, including the involvement of social media and police volunteers, Phula Devi, who had been missing since she was 8 years old, was finally reunited with her family. The only clue she had was the memory of a well in her family’s courtyard. This led the police to successfully find her long-lost family after 49 years.