Chance accident in Delhi reunites a Bihar family after seven years

Judge comes to rescue of man who couldnt recall who he was

For seven years,a family in Bihar had no clue about their younger sons whereabouts. Unable to find a job,he had left home all of a sudden. But a chance accident in Delhi last month has reunited the family.

Knocked down by a Delhi Transport Corporation bus,the man was found injured and unconscious on the road. After he was treated,police produced him before a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal to determine the quantum of compensation he should receive from DTC.

Strangely though,the investigating officer,Head Constable Balraj,said that the man should be declared an unknown person since he had refused to reveal his name or anything about himself. He was also not carrying any identification.

Story continues below this ad

MACT judge Nirja Bhatia,however,decided that no living person could be declared unknown and decided to question him.

For the first time in days,the man finally spoke. He told the judge that his name was Shivam Giri. They call me Shivam, he said. He could not remember why he had come to Delhi or what had he been doing here. After much coaxing,he could recall only two other details that his father was called Ram Narain,and that his home was in Surbaliya in Bihar.

Noting that the man seemed to be showing signs of emotional trauma,the judge directed the investigating officer to locate Surbaliya and try and establish the mans identity. The court told the policeman that he should file a report after checking with the local police and revenue authorities.

When Balraj finally reached Surbaliya in Siwan district of Bihar,he sought the help of local authorities to locate a Ram Narain Giri. He met Ram Narain and his wife who told him that they did not know anyone called Shivam but their son Om Prakash had been missing for seven years.

Story continues below this ad

They showed Balraj pictures of Om Prakash from his youth,copies of his voter identity card and school certificates. The policeman was convinced that this was the same person whose case he had been entrusted.

They said he was mentally unstable a little since he was young and wasnt able to find a job. He left home suddenly about seven years ago and they didnt know where he had gone or what he was doing, Balraj said.

Balraj returned to Delhi with Ram Narain and Om Prakashs elder brother Umesh. The family was re-united. All three appeared together before the tribunal for a hearing. Ram Narain told the court that the injured had been correctly identified as Om Prakash and that he was now mentally unstable. Rather than stay in Delhi to settle the compensation matter,he has taken his son home to Surbaliya.