A day after returning from Pakistan, Geeta, the deaf and mute girl, on Tuesday left for Indore where she will stay at an institution for hearing-impaired people till her family was located by the government.
Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawaar Chand Gehlot saw off Geeta at the airport who was accompanied by officials from the Indore-based institution.
"Geeta has gone back to Indore," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said. Earlier in the day, she met President Pranab Mukherjee and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Geeta, who had accidentally crossed over to Pakistan over a decade ago, had returned to a grand welcome on Monday.
However, she had failed to recognise a family which she had initially identified from photographs.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, addressing a press conference on Monday, had said Geeta refused to recognise the Mahato couple from Bihar which she had identified from photographs earlier.
Swaraj said Geeta will be kept in the Indore institution for hearing-impaired people till her "real family" was found.
Swaraj had said Geeta's DNA sample was being examined and if it does not match with the samples of the Mahato couple, then government will start afresh the process to find her parents.
"If the DNA samples match, then it will be a complex situation. We will ask Geeta to recollect things and go down the memory lane. We will make her sit again with them (Mahatos) so that she recollects her memory," the minister had said.
Geeta was reportedly just 7 or 8 years old when she was found sitting alone on the Samjhauta Express by the Pakistan Rangers 15 years ago at the Lahore railway station.
She was adopted by the Edhi Foundation's Bilquis Edhi and lived with her in Karachi. Bilquis and her grandchildren, Saba and Saad Edhi, accompanied Geeta. Her story came to light after the release of Salman Khan starrer 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' in which the hero unites a girl separated from her Pakistani mother who was visiting India.
‘Geeta’ symbol of India-Pakistan unity: Prez
Geeta, the mute and deaf Indian girl who returned home after being stranded in Pakistan for over a decade, on Tuesday met President Pranab Mukherjee here. The President blessed Geeta and said, “You are the daughter of both our country, a symbol of India-Pakistan unity. God has listened to your prayers.” Geeta, the young speech and hearing impaired woman who returned to India after being stranded in Pakistan for over a decade called on the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan here, a press release issued by the President’s office said. She was accompanied by officials of Pakistan’s Edhi Foundation, who looked after her in the neighbouring nation. Agencies