In a powerful display of familial love, an 18-year-old woman battling mental illness was finally reunited with her family in Nagpur this week. The emotional reunion, facilitated by the dedicated staff at the Regional Mental Hospital (RMH), ended months of painful separation and a desperate search led by her devoted eldest brother.
A Journey of Desperation and Hope
The young woman from a remote village in Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh, was admitted to RMH in September 2025 as an unidentified vagabond by the MIDC police. Initially withdrawn and giving a false name, her condition began to stabilise only after consistent psychiatric treatment and counselling. Social Service Superintendent Kunda Katekhaye Bidkar played a pivotal role, her persistent efforts enabling the patient to eventually reveal her real identity and her village in Parasia taluka.
The backdrop to this story is one of struggle against superstition. The woman's mother, believing her daughter was possessed, had insisted on leaving her at a temple for four months, where the entire family stayed. Her condition deteriorated until she one day disappeared. Her eldest brother, the sole voice opposing this superstitious decision, immediately filed a missing report. He then embarked on an exhaustive search, scouring locations including Chhindwara, Bhopal, Nagpur, and Ramtek.
The Unwavering Search and a Gruelling Ride
Despite hitting dead ends, including local police twice denying any knowledge of the girl in her village, Katekhaye's determination did not waver. She contacted the village sarpanch, whose intervention confirmed the truth: a girl had been suffering from mental illness for five years and was indeed missing. "The sarpanch helped when I contacted him," Katekhaye stated, highlighting the crucial break in the case.
Upon learning his sister's whereabouts, the brother, from an impoverished background, made an extraordinary sacrifice. Having already sold farmland and spent his daily wage earnings on the search, he undertook a gruelling 26-hour, 170-kilometre motorcycle journey from Chhindwara to Nagpur to reach her.
Emotional Reunion and a Lesson in Compassion
The meeting at RMH was profoundly moving. Overwhelmed with gratitude, the tearful brother offered Rs 1,000 to Katekhaye as a reward. She gently refused, emphasising that government hospitals provide free treatment and urging him to use the money for his sister's continued care instead.
This event marks the 176th successful family reunion facilitated by RMH since 2023. Counselling the family, Katekhaye stressed that mental illness is a treatable medical condition, warning against blind faith that leads to financial loss and deeper trauma. "We advised faith in God alongside proper medication, follow-ups, and precautions like engraving contact numbers on belongings," she explained.
The patient's medical treatment was overseen by Senior Psychiatrist Dr Pankaj Bagde. The entire reunification process was successfully completed under the administrative guidance of Medical Superintendent Dr Satish Humane and Deputy Superintendent Dr Mohabey.
