From Akola to Shimla: A Journey of Loss and Reunion
In a heartwarming turn of events, a teenage boy from Akola district in Maharashtra, who had been missing since 2018, has finally reunited with his family after being discovered at a gaushala in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. The emotional reunion, which took place after nearly eight years of separation, highlights the relentless efforts of law enforcement and the power of hope.
The Long Road to Shimla
Jayesh Bodade, now 19 years old, was only 12 when he went missing in 2018. According to his account, he left home after a quarrel with his mother while they were living in Shegaon, Maharashtra. Over the years, Jayesh traveled extensively, moving through states like Madhya Pradesh, Goa, New Delhi, Chandigarh, and Jammu and Kashmir, before finally settling in Himachal Pradesh for the last five years.
Surviving on odd jobs, Jayesh eventually found his way to a gaushala in Rampur Bushahr, a small town in Shimla district. There, he was offered work as a caretaker, with a monthly salary of Rs 6,000, along with food and shelter. Puranchand Sharma, the pradhan of the gaushala, recalls their first meeting, where he advised Jayesh that sincere service to the cows would bring blessings.
A Father's Unwavering Hope
Back in Akola, Jayesh's father, Sudhakar Bodade, a daily wage labourer, had filed a missing person complaint at the Khadan police station. Despite years of searching, there was no trace of his younger son. "Eventually I gave up," Sudhakar admitted, focusing instead on raising his elder son, Yogesh, who has since earned a diploma in education and is set to become a teacher.
The breakthrough came in December, during a routine police verification at the gaushala. With reports of smuggling in the area, local police asked workers to produce identity documents. Jayesh, lacking an Aadhaar card or any valid ID, was taken for questioning. It was then that he revealed his origins from Akot in Maharashtra, sparking a connection with the missing persons case.
Operation Muskaan: A Ray of Hope
The Khadan police station in Akola had been revisiting old missing cases under Operation Muskaan, a programme aimed at tracing missing children. Police Inspector Manoj Kedare explained that Jayesh's case had been registered in 2018, but efforts to trace him had been futile due to a lack of contact or information.
Upon learning of Jayesh's whereabouts, Shimla police contacted Akot police, leading to further inquiries with Akola's missing cell and the original complaint. A video call on January 10 confirmed Jayesh's identity, and after building trust, he expressed a desire to visit his father.
The Emotional Reunion
Sudhakar, upon receiving the call from police, was overwhelmed with emotion. "After so many years, the police called me and said my son has been found in Shimla... For years, I searched for him everywhere," he shared. He immediately recognized Jayesh during the video call.
In mid-January, Sudhakar traveled to Shimla alone, and father and son met for the first time in almost eight years at a police station in Shimla. They returned to Akola together, marking the end of a long and painful separation.
Adjusting to a New Reality
While Jayesh is now back home, he admits to feeling a pull towards the mountains of Himachal Pradesh. "Right now, it feels good to be back, but I think I will go back again. What will I do here all day? I have got used to living in the mountains," he says, citing discomfort with the noise and weather in Akola, which has affected his health.
Jayesh, who studied only until Class 7, expresses a desire to work rather than pursue further education. Reflecting on the reunion, he says, "I became very emotional. My father was crying too. My plan was to come back later in the year and surprise everyone, tell them that I am alive... but the police found my father first." His mother remains untraced.
A Blessing in Disguise
Puranchand Sharma, reflecting on Jayesh's time at the gaushala, believes that the youth's service to the cows brought him the reward of reuniting with his family. "I told him that serving cows brings blessings... Maybe, he received the reward for that service," he muses.
This story underscores the importance of community support, police diligence, and the enduring bonds of family, offering a beacon of hope in cases of long-term disappearances.
