A middle-aged man kidnapped 31 years ago when he was just a nine-year-old boy has been reunited with his family
Bhim Singh was taken against his will in 1993 and forced into years of bonded labour.
A gang abducted him and sold him to a herder where he spent the next three decades rearing sheep and goats, living in shackles, and surviving on a meagre diet.
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A ransom of £7,000 (7.3 lakh rupees) had been demanded by the kidnappers before they decided to stop contacting his family.
Bhim was found by cops and then his family was traced.
His relatives only recognised him because of a mole on his right leg and a tattoo on his left arm.
Recalling the harrowing events, Bhim, of Utar Praadesh, India said he was kidnapped by strangers on his way home from school and taken to Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
According to Bhim, a compassionate individual eventually intervened and took him to Ghaziabad.
With the assistance of police, he was able to locate his family and was reunited with them after three decades.
He revealed the traumatic experience of being taken away with his sister and forced into a life of servitude in a distant village.
Despite the challenges he faced Bhim expressed gratitude for the support he received from law enforcement and the community.
Ass Ch Sahibabad Rajneesh Kumar Upadhyay noted that he initially struggled to provide his address at the police station prompting authorities to launch a search for his family.
After a social media appeal a family eventually came forward and was identified by Singh as his own leading to a heartfelt reunion that brought closure to a decades-long separation.
“Bhim Singh arrived at the police station unsure of his place of origin,” he said.
“Upon learning of his situation, our team quickly mobilized and shared information about Bhim Singh on social media.
“This led to numerous relatives reaching out to us including the family of Tula Ram.
“Bhim Singh was able to recognize his relatives immediately and they have since been reunited,” Upadhyay said.
The case is still being investigated according to police, as reported by Need To Know.
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