FB live video helps unite lost child with family, rescue +ve father

KOLKATA: Social media and the ward coordinator of Bhowanipore, Ashim Basu, turn saviors for a Covid positive man and his 7-month-old child, who went missing on Friday. The man, who was later identified as Anirban Mukherjee — a resident of Kankurgachi — was spotted loitering aimlessly on Elgin Road with a child on the same day. He was speaking in an incoherent manner and unable to tell the address of his residence.

The man was appealing the passers-by to take away his child, identified as Dwijo.

Finding abnormality in his behaviour, the locals informed the matter to coordinator of ward 70 Ashim Basu about the incident.

Basu live streamed the video of the child — holding him in his arms — on Facebook and urged everyone to spread the message so that the child's family could be contacted.

Basu received a phone call from the child's family. It was learnt that Mukherjee had tested Covid positive on Thursday, following which he started behaving in a strange manner. The family members had lodged a missing diary with Phoolbagan police station after the duo went missing.

Basu took assistance from Bhowanipore police station and admitted Mukherjee to SSKM Hospital.

He took the child to his own residence. Around 4 pm, the child was handed over to his family members and mother in presence of police officials.

"People are very active on social media. I was confident that sharing the details on Facebook live will surely help us in tracing the family," Basu said.