Alipurduar: Twelve years after she vanished during Durga Puja, an elderly woman from Falakata has been reunited with her family — thanks to the efforts of a Mumbai-based NGO.
Ranubala Biswas, widow of Sushil Biswas, went missing on Ashtami in 2013 after losing her mental stability following her husband’s death. Her family had long assumed she was dead — until Wednesday, when her two sons embraced her again.
Her return turned Kadamtala, near Falakata College, into a scene of joy and emotion, as locals gathered to celebrate.
Ranubala had unknowingly wandered off and ended up in Biratnagar, Nepal. There, nuns from the Missionaries of Charity rescued her and sheltered her in their ashram. After three years without significant improvement, they contacted Mumbai-based psychiatrist Dr. Bharat Bhatavani. On his advice, a voluntary group brought her to Mumbai for long-term treatment. “She had even forgotten how to speak Bengali,” said Samar Basak, a core member of the NGO. “But last year, she suddenly recalled the name ‘Jalpaiguri’. That was our first breakthrough.”
Gradually, more fragments of memory returned. Recently, when Ranubala mentioned “Falakata” and “College Para”, the team knew they were finally close to solving the mystery of her identity.
Basak immediately reached out to Falakata Police Station. IC Abhishek Bhattacharya shared her photograph with the local community — and that’s when destiny intervened. A young local, Ananta Sarkar, saw the image and immediately recognized her as Ranubala Biswas.
“I was certain it was her,” said Sarkar. “And today, that instinct proved right.”
On Wednesday, her sons Sanjay and Uttam Biswas embraced their mother after more than a decade of unanswered questions. “We had lost all hope,” said Sanjay, tears in his eyes. “We never thought we’d see Maa again. Today is a miracle.”
The emotional reunion is being hailed as a rare triumph of compassion, coordination, and perseverance across borders.
Falakata IC Abhishek Bhattacharya reflected on the moment: “We just did our duty. But helping someone find their way back home after 12 years — that brings its own kind of peace.”