Teen reunited with family after 14 yrs

Ranchi: It was an emotional homecoming in Hadiamara village of West Singhbhum district on Tuesday when Raja Gope was reunited with his mother and sister after 14 years.

Raja got separated from his family when he was four years old. His family was travelling to Bengal in search of work when the boy accidentally boarded another train which took him to Kerala.

He spent the following years in various shelter homes across the state. After turning 18, Raja was shifted to a govt aftercare home in Thalassery where he expressed his desire to find his family. He was able to recall the names of his relatives and provide a rough geographical description of his village.

With the help of social media, activists, police and local administration, authorities traced his family to Hadiamara village in Chaibasa.

On Tuesday, Raja finally returned home and was reunited with his mother and sisters. “I am very happy to be back home and meet my family after such a long time,” he said.

His mother, Mani Gope, said the family had almost lost hope of finding him. “I cannot believe that I am seeing my boy again,” she said.

Officer-in-charge of Sonua police station Shashibala Bhengra, who played a key role in tracing the family, said Raja is currently pursuing Class 12 in Kerala and is also a football player.

“He has expressed interest in going back to Kerala and once he settles, he may take his family along. Now that he is an adult, the decision will be his and his family’s,” Bhengra said.

She added that the police will continue to support him. “We have told him that all of us at the police station are here to help him both professionally and personally. He remains in regular contact with us and will inform us of his final decision,” she said.