Man rides 170km on bike from MP to reunite with mentally-ill sister

Nagpur: In a heart-warming tale of familial devotion, an 18-year-old mentally ill woman from a remote village in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district was reunited with her family this week after months of separation, thanks to relentless treatment at Regional Mental Hospital (RMH) here and unwavering love of her eldest brother. He decided to reach Nagpur from Chhindwara, travelling 170km on bike, to meet his sister and reward mental hospital officials. This marked the 176th reunion at RMH since 2023.Admitted to RMH in September 2025 as an unidentified vagabond by MIDC police, the woman, who initially gave a fictitious name, remained deeply withdrawn, silent, and lost in her own world. Psychiatric treatment and persistent counselling by social service superintendent Kunda Katekhaye Bidkar gradually stabilised her condition, allowing her to reveal her real name and village in Parasia taluka of Madhya Pradesh.Blinded by superstition, the woman's mother insisted on dumping her at a temple for 4 months, believing she was possessed. The family also stayed with her at the temple premises. The condition of the woman worsened until she went missing one day.Her eldest brother, the only one who opposed the superstitious decision, filed a missing person report and embarked on an exhaustive search across Chhindwara, Bhopal, Nagpur, and Ramtek. Despite initial denials from local police, Katekhaye's determination led her to contact the village sarpanch, uncovering the truth about the girl who suffered from mental illness for 5 years. "The local police twice checked and claimed there was no one by the name in the village. But, the sarpanch helped when I contacted him," said Katekhaye, adding the village headman's intervention helped in tracking her family.Selling his farmland and spending daily wage earnings, the elder brother sacrificed everything for his sister, breaking down in tears while recounting his ordeal to hospital staff. When informed of her whereabouts, the brother, from an impoverished family embarked on a gruelling 26-hour motorcycle journey to Nagpur.Their reunion at RMH was profoundly emotional. Overwhelmed with gratitude, the brother offered Rs 1,000 to Katekhaye, who gently refused, emphasising that govt hospitals provide free treatment and urged him to use the money for his sister's ongoing care.Counselling the family, Katekhaye stressed that mental illness is a treatable medical condition, warning against blind faith that causes financial ruin and deeper trauma. "We advised faith in God alongside proper medication, follow-ups, and precautions like engraving contact numbers on belongings," said Katekhaye.Medical treatment of the patient was carried out under Dr Pankaj Bagde, senior psychiatrist. The treatment process and family reunification were successfully completed under the administrative guidance of Dr Satish Humane, medical superintendent, and Dr Mohabey, deputy superintendent.