In a heart-wrenching tale of disappearance and eventual homecoming, a journalist from Kolkata has finally returned to his family after being missing for nearly a decade. Subhajit Chandra was reunited with his loved ones on December 13, following years of confinement in a detention camp in Thailand. His return marks the end of a long and painful ordeal for a family that had almost lost hope.
A Decade-Long Ordeal and a Family's Anguish
The story began in 2015 when Chandra, then employed in New Delhi, travelled to Malaysia for medical treatment. His journey later took him to Cambodia and Thailand, where all communication with his family in India abruptly ceased. The last time his family heard from him was in 2016, plunging them into a state of deep distress and uncertainty.
Despite persistent efforts by his father, including reporting the disappearance to authorities and publishing notices in newspapers, no concrete leads emerged. The family was left without any official documentation regarding his status, amplifying their suffering. The case gained formal traction only on November 11, 2025, when Bhaskar Mallick, Chandra's brother-in-law, filed a petition to record a general diary for his missing relative at the Thakurpukur Police Station.
The International Rescue Operation
The breakthrough came through a coordinated effort involving multiple agencies. Authorities at Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport and the Consulate of Thailand were contacted for assistance. In a crucial move in November, the Thai Consulate was provided with Chandra's photographs, passport, and personal identity card, which proved instrumental in locating him.
Chandra recounted his harrowing experience upon his return. After moving to Cambodia in 2016 due to financial difficulties and working at a bakery, he faced legal troubles for lacking proper documentation. In 2019, Cambodian police arrested him and took him to the Thailand border. There, he was arrested again for illegal entry and placed in a detention camp.
"He was forced to stay in that camp from 2019 till this November," said DC (Behala-SWD) Rahul De. "Chandra gave up hope of ever returning home, thinking he would have to die there." That hope was rekindled on November 11, when someone met him at the camp. Shortly after, on November 27, he was issued an Emergency Certificate by the assistant consular officer at the Embassy of India in Bangkok.
The Final Journey Home and a Bittersweet Reunion
His journey back to India commenced on December 9, when he was flown from Bangkok Airport to Delhi on an Indigo flight. He finally completed the last leg of his journey, reaching Kolkata by train on December 13. The reunion, made possible by the joint efforts of the Thakurpukur police and the Ministry of External Affairs, was profoundly emotional.
The years of hardship have severely impacted Chandra's health. DC Rahul De noted that he had lost a lot of weight and his physical condition had deteriorated significantly. Tragically, his absence was marked by profound personal loss; his father passed away during this period, and his mother is now seriously ill and bedridden.
This case underscores the critical role of persistent family efforts and inter-agency cooperation in resolving long-standing missing person cases involving Indian nationals abroad. While Chandra's return brings closure, it also highlights the immense personal cost of such prolonged separations.
