Nine-year-old Muzaffar alias Vivek, who was brought up by Hindu parents after he went missing from the Gulbarg Society in Meghaninagar seven years ago during the riots, paid a visit to his biological parents on Sunday. Although the meeting lasted for only an hour, it felt like a lifetime to his parents, mother Jebunissa and father Mohammed Salim Sheikh.

Jebunissa, a resident of Arsh Colony in Vatva, told Newsline: “We were awaiting this day. We have waited for it for seven long years. When my son went missing in 2002, I had pledged a visit to Ajmer Sharif dargah once we found him. Although I always thought that it will never be fulfilled, now I am quite confident that we will get our son back, especially after the High Court’s order and Muzaffar’s homecoming.”

Almost all the residents of Arsh Colony gathered at Sheikh’s home and celebrated the occasion by beating drums and distributing sweets. Jebunissa and her husband got themselves photographed with their son and explained to him his relationship with them.

On being asked how he felt, the boy said: “Achha to nahin laga, lekin dhire dhire achha lagne lagega (I don’t feel good, but will start feeling well gradually).”

Muzaffar was brought up as Vivek by Meena and Vikram Patni in Saraspur area after they found him during the 2002 riots, when he was just two-years-old. Seven years later, he was identified as the missing son of Jebunissa and Mohammed Salim Sheikh by the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team. The Sheikhs are now fighting a legal battle to reclaim the custody of their son. The Gujarat High Court, in a recent order, asked Meena Patni to let the boy stay with his biological parents at least once a week till the next hearing on January 27. Meena accompanied the boy when he went to see the Sheikhs on Sunday.