Missing from Kurseong tea estate, found after 4 years

KOUSIK SEN, TT,  Raiganj: A couple residing in a tea estate in the Kurseong sub-division of Jalpaiguri district found their son at a destitute boys' home here on Thursday, four years after he went missing from his house.

Imran Bal and wife Pramita, who are residents of the Longview tea estate around 20km from Siliguri, located Krishna, who is speech and hearing impaired, at Suryodaya Homeon the outskirts of Raiganj town.

Sources at the child welfare committee of North Dinajpur said in July 2014, Krishna took a bus from near his home and reached Siliguri. From there, he clung onto the ladder in the rear of another bus and reached Tungidighi under Karandighi police station of North Dinajpur.

"He was roaming aimlessly in Tungidighi. Some locals spotted him and handed him over to the police. The police later handed him over to the child welfare committee. Since then, he had been staying at the home," said a source.

The sudden disappearance of his son made Imran, who works in the tea garden, to start searching for him.

"We could not find him in the garden or in nearby localities. Later, we filed a missing diary with the police," said Imran.

Police started investigation but could not trace the boy immediately. They had sent Krishna's photos, 12 years old then, to different police stations and on some websites.

Recently, representatives of the child welfare committee noticed his photo and contacted the police in Kurseong.

A police officer investigating the case reached the home with Imran and Pramita and saw Krishna. The boy also recognised his parents.

"We had put in all efforts to find him but virtually lost all hopes. It is great that he has been traced and we can take back our son home," said Pramita. Krishna is 16 now.

Later in the day, the couple left with their son for their home. "Some formalities have to be completed by the parents in Kurseong before the boy is formally handed over to them," said a source.