In a heart-wrenching incident from Pune's Warje area, Krushna, the son of casual worker Bharat Waghmare, left home one recent morning after writing a note. Overwhelmed with stress from unpaid debts, the young man vanished, prompting his father to file a missing person's complaint at the Sinhagad Road police station. Desperate for help, Waghmare then turned to a man known for his uncanny ability to find the lost: Shivabhau Pasalkar, whom he sought out at a bustling vada-pav shop in Manikbaug on Sinhagad Road.
The Mission of a Modern-Day Detective
For the past 15 years, 51-year-old Shivabhau Pasalkar has built a formidable reputation across Maharashtra. Driven by a profound personal mission, he has tirelessly pursued cases of missing persons and those who have fled their homes. His unwavering dedication has resulted in a staggering achievement: helping to locate and reunite over 800 missing individuals with their families. "I look for the missing to reunite families. I want to see smiles on their faces," Pasalkar shared, explaining his motivation.
His journey began about 16 years ago after a tragic personal experience. A close friend's sister went missing. "We grew up together," Pasalkar recounted. After filing a police complaint, they searched around Swargate ST stand and Pune Railway Station. Tragically, they found her body near the Mutha right bank canal. "I witnessed the family's pain. That made me decide that I would dedicate time to trace missing people," he said. Within a few years, this dedication became a full-time mission.
A Simple Yet Effective Methodology
Pasalkar's detective work hinges on a straightforward but systematic approach centered on the 'last seen' rule. His process involves creating 2x2 sqft posters featuring the missing person's photograph and contact numbers for both the family and the police. These posters are strategically displayed in the area where the person was last seen, as well as at key transit points and hospitals like State Transport stands, railway stations, and Sassoon General Hospital.
He powerfully leverages technology to amplify his search. "People misuse social media or waste time on it, but I use it for a cause, leveraging its effectiveness 100%," Pasalkar stated. He collects phone numbers wherever he goes, adding them to extensive messaging groups. Once posters are ready, he circulates them across these groups and on social media platforms statewide. This method proved incredibly effective last year when a Std VI student from a prominent Pune school went missing. Pasalkar shared her poster across 500 groups; the girl was tracked down in Ranjangaon within just eight hours.
He also works closely with authorities, often visiting police stations to gather information and review CCTV footage. His credibility is now so established that police officers routinely share missing persons' complaints and photos with him after officially recording cases.
Understanding Why People Disappear
Through his extensive experience, Pasalkar has developed insights into the common reasons behind disappearances across different age groups. He notes that children between 5 and 15 often leave due to academic pressure, a thirst for adventure, or after a severe scolding. Older girls in this bracket sometimes run away with partners.
For youths aged 16 to 25, the triggers are typically financial troubles, relationship issues, or academic stress. "They are often found working in eateries, garages, or washing centres," he observed. Adults up to age 45 usually disappear due to family disputes, relationships, or financial problems, while those between 45 and 65 may leave because of health issues, financial difficulty, or neglect by family.
Pasalkar's work is entirely voluntary; he accepts no money for his services. His family runs a school in Wadgaon Budruk, managed by his wife, which allows him the time to focus on his mission. "I drive across the state with aggrieved family members in my car to trace their kin," he added. He maintains a notebook from the last seven or eight years, which records over 800 successful reunions. Sadly, in about 15 cases, they were too late, finding that the individual had committed suicide or died in an accident.
Currently, Pasalkar and his friends are searching for an 80-year-old woman with memory issues who got lost along the Pune-Satara highway two months ago. He remains hopeful, stating, "We know she is alive." As for Waghmare's son, Krushna, messages from Kolhapur indicated a sighting. "Waghmare's son was spotted in Kolhapur. We will go there," Pasalkar affirmed, ready to bring another family back together.
