Rourkela: Eighteen years after he was allegedly lured away from his village as a minor on the promise of being taught how to drive, a man from Sundargarh district returned to Rourkela Tuesday and reunited with his family at the railway station.
Purushottam Goud, a native of Sonaparbat village under Suidihi panchayat in Lathikata block, had gone missing in 2008 when he was 14.
According to family members, an unidentified person had taken him away from Odisha on the pretext of providing driving lessons.
Despite extensive efforts to trace him, the family received no information about his whereabouts for years.
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However, they continued their search and, in January this year, approached the police with fresh inputs.
With police assistance, Goud was eventually traced and brought back to Rourkela.
He arrived at Rourkela railway station around 3 pm Tuesday by the Jammu Tawi Express, where he was received by his family and well-wishers.
Speaking to reporters, Goud said he had been taken to Jammu in 2008 and later shifted tothe Samba district.
There, he was allegedly forced to work without being paid.
“I was told that I would be taught driving, but after reaching Jammu, I was made to work.
I was not paid any wages,” he said, adding that he had long wanted to contact his family but was unable to do so.
Goud said it was due to his family’s persistent efforts and police support that he was finally able to return to his native place after nearly two decades. Police officials said further details are being verified.