The story of Bhim Singh from Ghaziabad, UP is an inspiring tale of his life as a bonded labourer in Jaisalmer after being kidnapped 30 years ago and his miraculous reunion with his family.

Ghaziabad: Fate has its own unique ways of connecting lives. A 9-year-old boy who was kidnapped from Noida in 1993 as a bonded labourer returned to his family after 30 years of freedom from a remote village in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. This inspiring story of Bhim Singh is a testament to struggle, suffering, and reunion.

1993 kidnapping and mysterious disappearance

In September 1993, Bhim Singh, the only son of Tularam of Ghaziabad, was kidnapped while returning from school with his sister. The family received a ransom letter but there was no contact from the kidnappers after that. The police and the family searched for years but there was no trace of Bhim.

After being kidnapped, Bhim was taken to Rajasthan where he was sold to a shepherd. For the next 30 years, he worked as a bonded labourer. He lived in a shed with animals and was chained at night. Bhim was only given a piece of bread and tea and had no contact with the outside world.

Last week, a Delhi businessman found Bhim tied to a tree in Jaisalmer. He immediately informed the police and sent him to Ghaziabad. When Bhim met his family at Khoda police station, the reunion felt surreal for both him and his family. Bhim, now resigned to a life of bondage, was meeting the family that had vanished from his memories after years of abuse and suffering. 

Parents and sisters identified him through tattoos and moles 

The parents and three sisters saw little of the nine-year-old in the timid, lanky man standing before them, except for a vague resemblance in his facial expressions. Yet, it was undeniably him - 'Raju', the nickname they had affectionately given him. Bhim's parents and sisters, who called him 'Raju', were able to identify him by the tattoo on his left hand and the mole on his right leg.

Only the father had hope for his son to return

Bhim's family, especially his father Tularam, never gave up hope. After retirement, he decided to stay in Ghaziabad so that he could find Bhim if he ever returned. Tularam abandoned his original plan and opened a flour mill near his home in Shaheed Nagar. While none of them truly believed they would see Bhim again, hope was a soothing balm for a wound that never fully healed.

Letter of hope: Bhim reaches the police station

Sahibabad ACP Rajneesh Upadhyay said that Bhim had come to Khoda police station last Saturday afternoon with a letter written in blue ink. The Delhi businessman who had rescued him had written all the details of Bhim in it, hoping that it would give the police some clues. Bhim told the officers that he was from somewhere in Noida, although he did not remember anything about Ghaziabad or Shaheed Nagar.

I forgot everything, I only remembered my father's name

He said that he has parents and 4 sisters (3 of whom are older than him) and he is their only son. He remembered the name of his father Tularaam. He also described the year of the kidnapping as 1993. When the police searched the old files, they found an FIR of kidnapping registered in Sahibabad police station on 8 September 1993. After 3 days, they found the family in Shaheed Nagar. The ACP said that the investigation revealed that the 9-year-old son of Tularaam, a retired employee of the electricity department, was kidnapped by an auto gang when he was returning home from school with one of his sisters.

A ransom of Rs 7.4 lakh was demanded from the family

The family received a letter demanding a ransom of Rs 7.4 lakh at that time, but there was no further contact after that. After his abduction, Bhim was taken to Rajasthan, where the kidnappers sold him to a shepherd. He spent the next 30 years herding sheep, living in a shed next to the animals and being chained at night to prevent escape. 

The auto driver who used to take her to school had kidnapped her

His daily meal consisted of nothing more than a piece of bread and a few cups of tea. It was a life of total captivity, with no contact with the outside world. Bhima revealed that the same auto driver who used to take him home from school was responsible for kidnapping him and handing him over to a truck driver. At some point, he was sold to a man who became his 'owner' for the next three decades.

PC:Asianetnews