A girl who was lost 14 years ago has been reunited with her family, thanks to a social media networking service. The girl went missing when she was three years old.
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Emotional scenes were witnessed at the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) office here on Sunday, when the parents who brought up the child were in tears at the time of parting. The minor was seen weeping inconsolably after meeting the biological parents and before leaving the family that has brought her up.
CWC Krishna district Chairman B.V.S. Kumar said the girl Spoorthi (name changed) went missing when she was three years old at Hyderabad. Her family from Cheepurupalli village in Vizianagaram district migrated to Hyderabad in search of a livelihood. The parents reportedly lodged a missing complaint with the Hyderabad police then.
A couple, who found the girl, took her to a police station and had reportedly been asked by the personnel to keep her with them until her biological parents were found.
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Spoorthi has been staying at Chilakaluripet since then and she has completed intermediate recently. The girl and the parents who raised her tried without luck to trace the biological parents for many years.
Employer’s initiative
Recently, Spoorthi was hired for work by one Vamshi Krishna of Patamata area in Vijayawada, who enquired about her family. When the girl told the names of her parents and other family members with their initials, Mr. Vamshi searched in the social media and traced them.
“Spoorthi felt happy when her parents were traced and we contacted them. However, as the two families could not reach an understanding they approached the Patamata police,” the CWC Chairman said.
“The Patamata police produced the girl before the CWC along with both the foster parents and the biological parents and did a commendable job. Mr. Vamshi Krishna took all pains to reunite Spoorthi with her family,” Mr. Kumar said.
Papers verified
The CWC verified the family photographs, Aadhaar card, ration card and other proofs submitted by the biological parents. As per the girl’s wish, she has been handed over to her biological parents, on the condition that they should take good care of Spoorthi and produce her on demand, the CWC members said.
“We followed the legal procedure in the case as the girl is a minor. The parents who brought her up gave an undertaking to hand over the girl to her biological parents. However, both the parents would be bound by a court’s decision, if any court enters into the matter in future,” Mr. Kumar told The Hindu .
Spoorthi agreed to stay in touch with both the families, the Chairman said.