Lochan Nayak had left his family in Odisha and was stranded thousands of kilometres away in Padappai, Chengalpet district. Not knowing the way or the means to go back to his village, the boy was roaming on the streets of Padappai when police personnel of the Manimangalam station, engaged in beat patrol, rescued and handed him over to the Chengalpet Child Welfare Committee (CWC).
The CWC of Chengalpet district handed over the boy to Sri Arunodayam, an NGO functioning from Kolathur in Chennai. Housing more than 115 children abandoned by their families, the NGO helped the boy get reunited with the family.
Iyappan Subramaniyam, founder of Sri Arunodayam, said the boy was handed over to the family in Badagoccha village in Odisha on January 8. After finding out that he only conversed in Odia, volunteers had spoken to him in his language and managed to get all his family details along with location of the nearest police station from his village.
They then got in touch with Ramesh Kumar, Inspector of the Surada Police station of Ganjam district and shared all the details of the stranded boy, including his photograph. Police officials, within two days, located the boy's family and made arrangements for his return.
The boy, whose father had died, was living with his ailing mother and brother and had fled home. His elder brother Ranjan came to Chennai to take him back home. The boy along with his brother boarded a train to their native place on Tuesday, making this a happy 94th reunion for Sri Arunodayam.