Balugaon: Prafulla Pradhan of Icchapur village under Chilika block in Khurda district, who had been separated from his family 17 years back (during 1999 Super Cyclone), was reunited with his family Saturday. While the joy of Pradhan’s family knew no bounds, locals rushed to get a glance of him terming it miraculous.
According to reports, Prafulla resided with his wife, three daughters, a son and his elderly parents. However, he suffered from mental disorder. Meanwhile, Pradhan (41 by then) went missing from his home during 1999 cyclone. Family members assumed he was dead.
Prafulla mistakenly boarded a train from Balugaon and eventually landed in Kanyakumari of Tamil Nadu. He roamed about uncared for in Kanyakumari for five years before police nabbed him for interrogation. On learning, Pradhan was mentally-challenged, they admitted him to a mental hospital at Kilpak in Chennai. Meanwhile, Dr Arvindham, a doctor at the mental hospital, came to know the plight of Pradhan and helped him to reunite with his family.
Dr Arvindham, who was taking care of Pradhan after he was admitted to the hospital, found out his address. Upon his health improvement, Pradhan hardly spoke Chilika. Arvindham later alerted both Puri and Khurda administration.
On the orders of Khurda collector, Chilika BDO Soumendra Routroy traced the family of Pradhan. Family members authenticated Pradhan after Arvindham sent a photograph through e-mail. PNN