Suresh Borhade (above) was reunited with his son Ganesh (inset) on January 23. He died five days later
A 28-year-old man from Sangamner town, around 250 km from Mumbai, found his father who had gone missing 11 years ago, in the Sewri TB Hospital on January 23. Five days later, however, the father succumbed to the disease, even as his entire family was preparing to celebrate his homecoming.
The son, Ganesh Borhade, said the only consolation was his father, Suresh, 53, got a proper funeral. "We last saw him in 2003, when he left home after an argument with my grandfather. I was 17 then, and we thought he would return after a few days, as he often did after fighting with my grandfather. Later, we registered a police complaint but never heard from my father," said Borhade, an activist.
Borhade, an only child, said he was devastated after his father abandoned the family. "My father did odd jobs, but he was an alcoholic and there were fights at home. My mother remarried, but I longed for my father. I was so thrilled when I found him," he said.
Father found, thanks to Sion cops
On January 22, the police control room received a call saying an old man was lying unconscious in Sion. He was taken to the Sion hospital, where he told police that his name was Suresh Borhade, he had no home in Mumbai and he was from Sangamner in Ahmednagar district. He further said that he survived on odd jobs and didn't recall his family.
Suresh was diagnosed with tuberculosis, and shifted to the Sewri hospital. Officers from Sion Police Station contacted their counterparts in Sangamner, and a day later, going through their records, they chanced upon the missing person complaint filed by Suresh's family in 2003. Since the family's address hadn't changed, the cops managed to contact Suresh's son, and asked him to visit the Sewri hospital for confirmation.
"I couldn't believe my eyes," Borhade said, "I had my father's photograph and recognised him immediately. I clicked his pictures and everyone back home confirmed it was him."
He spent two days at the hospital, and said his father had shown signs of recovery. "He was just as pleased to see me, and was looking forward to returning home. I went back to prepare for his homecoming, but on January 28, I got a call saying he had died," Borhade said.
Sub-Inspector Aghavne from Sion Police Station, who took the lead in locating Suresh's family, said it was unfortunate that the man died without being able to spend time with family.
"It's our job to record statements of people we admit in civic and government-run hospitals. When informed of his condition, I thought let us try and locate his family. I'm happy our efforts paid off," Aghavne said.
The son, Ganesh Borhade, said the only consolation was his father, Suresh, 53, got a proper funeral. "We last saw him in 2003, when he left home after an argument with my grandfather. I was 17 then, and we thought he would return after a few days, as he often did after fighting with my grandfather. Later, we registered a police complaint but never heard from my father," said Borhade, an activist.
Borhade, an only child, said he was devastated after his father abandoned the family. "My father did odd jobs, but he was an alcoholic and there were fights at home. My mother remarried, but I longed for my father. I was so thrilled when I found him," he said.
Father found, thanks to Sion cops
On January 22, the police control room received a call saying an old man was lying unconscious in Sion. He was taken to the Sion hospital, where he told police that his name was Suresh Borhade, he had no home in Mumbai and he was from Sangamner in Ahmednagar district. He further said that he survived on odd jobs and didn't recall his family.
Suresh was diagnosed with tuberculosis, and shifted to the Sewri hospital. Officers from Sion Police Station contacted their counterparts in Sangamner, and a day later, going through their records, they chanced upon the missing person complaint filed by Suresh's family in 2003. Since the family's address hadn't changed, the cops managed to contact Suresh's son, and asked him to visit the Sewri hospital for confirmation.
"I couldn't believe my eyes," Borhade said, "I had my father's photograph and recognised him immediately. I clicked his pictures and everyone back home confirmed it was him."
He spent two days at the hospital, and said his father had shown signs of recovery. "He was just as pleased to see me, and was looking forward to returning home. I went back to prepare for his homecoming, but on January 28, I got a call saying he had died," Borhade said.
Sub-Inspector Aghavne from Sion Police Station, who took the lead in locating Suresh's family, said it was unfortunate that the man died without being able to spend time with family.
"It's our job to record statements of people we admit in civic and government-run hospitals. When informed of his condition, I thought let us try and locate his family. I'm happy our efforts paid off," Aghavne said.
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