Islampur man finds lost S Kolkata woman at Kumbh, brings her home
Times of India | 18 January 2025
12 Kolkata: Krishna Sarkar, sitting beside her grandson Deep Haldar at Vivekananda Park in Mukundapur, could hardly control her tears. Hours after arriving at the Kumbh Mela in UP, the 77-year-old got lost among the lakhs of devotees. For six days, she spent the nights at the missing persons camp and the local Iskcon temple, and had to borrow a shawl from UP Police to keep the cold at bay. Finally, a 43-year-old good Samaritan from Islampur helped her get home.
For Sanjay Kundu, a marriage broker, the Kumbh visit was to chart a new meaning in his life. "When I found her, she was crying. I was reminded of my elderly relatives. I couldn't abandon her when the cops said they would put her on a Howrah-bound train and ask her to fend for herself after that," he said.
Kundu was set to return to Islampur but took a 350-km detour via Kolkata instead. He took Sarkar to Howrah Police, got directions to take her to Jadavpur, and eventually, reached Purba Jadavpur PS, where he sought help.
The role of UP Police and, later, the Purba Jadavpur police was significant in this lost-and-found story. While the UP Police was the first to console Sarkar and arrange for her food, the Purba Jadavpur cops spread news about Sarkar across multiple WhatsApp groups and managed to reunite her with her family. A few sadhus at Kumbh Mela, who gave her mental strength, also played a part in this episode, Sarkar told TOI.
On Jan 8, Sarkar left for Kumbh with her daughter Ruma and son-in-law. "I found my cellphone had no charge and left it behind. I was so sure my daughter would find me," Sarkar said. The next morning, as the family left for the ghats at Prayagraj in an auto, Sarkar kept wondering how she could keep up with the crowd as an old body ache had returned. "I lost them as they went ahead. In the beginning, I saw hundreds of unknown faces and broke down in tears. I heard my name being announced and my daughter asking me to come to the missing persons stall. By the time I reached, she had left. I called my daughter's phone but there was no response. I spent the night at the camp with a few woman cops who offered me a shawl and food. The next morning, they took me to the Iskcon temple, where a sadhu heard my plight and said I must not stop taking the dip. I took a dip before cops issued me a slip saying that would be my transport pass to go home. I kept wondering what I could do next when I found Kundu next to me. He asked me a few things, and the cops assured me he would ensure I reached home," Sarkar said.
"On Dec 16, Kundu came to Purba Jadavpur PS with Sarkar and told us how he had found her in Kumbh. Kundu brought her home despite him carrying a meagre amount of money. She could only disclose her name and that she lived in Mukundapur," said DC (East) Arish Bilal.
"Lady SI Tanusree Ganguly circulated Sarkar's photograph in the local WhatsApp groups. Patrol parties also set out in the area with her photo. Finally, one person identified her as a resident of 6, Mukundapur area. Eventually, one of her three sons, Debasish, could be contacted. He came to get his mother. The family thanked Kundu, and fed him. They gave him some gifts as well. Citizens like Kundu are rare in our society," Bilal said.
Sarkar's daughter and son-in-law are expected to return by Saturday. "My parents have not taken the dip and had been searching for my grandmother. Now that I have informed them that she is back with us, they have boarded a train from Prayagraj," said Deep, Ruma's son.