From Nepal to India and Back: story of runaway boy resembles B’wood movie Bajrangi Bhaijaan

National | April 12, 2018: 

It is not surprising when we try to copy or mimic our favourite actor, but it is shocking when reel life becomes real life. one such incident that occured in real life was a re-enactment of Bollywood blockbuster Bajrangi Bhaijaan for Salman Ansari who had run away from his village in Nepal five years ago. Odisha child protection officials and activists had successfully repatriated the minor boy and reunited him with his family last week.

Salman Ansari, then 11, had run away from home unable to withstand pressure on studies. He strayed into Indian border and had accidentally landed in Odisha. Subsequent attempts of activists and members of child protection cell of Khordha were similar to the script of the Bollywood movie..

Salman was rescued from a garage at Khandagiri junction of Bhubaneswar on August 5 , 2016. He was immediately produced before the Child Welfare Committee, a quasi judicial body that had sent him to Jeevan Jyoti Ashram (JJA), a child care institute.

"At the time of rescue, Salman had forgotten everything. Counsellors befriended him and extracted every piece of information from him. Salman used to describe his village landscape and named it Rupaydiha," said Banishree Patnaik, District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) of Khordha. Salman also spoke incoherently about places such as Lucknow and Kanpur.

The JJA members had searched on the Internet for information about Rupaydiha village.. They had also accompanied Salman to Uttar Pradesh to trace the village and his family. The Uttar Pradesh police informed them that there was no village by that name under their jurisdiction and expressed that it might be on the Nepal side.

The activists continued with their search and had sought the help of Nepal Embassy in New Delhi but the embassy had sought accurate details. .

"Since there is no restriction on movement between India and Nepal, we decided to give another try and repatriate the boy. On April 6, when we were on India-Nepal border inquiring about his village, Salman stumbled upon one of his childhood friends and identified him," said Biplab Mallick, who took the boy to Nepal.

Source: The Hindu

Featured image: The Hindu/GlamSham