In a story that feels nothing short of a miracle, a man missing for 15 years was found just as his family had begun the process of declaring him legally dead. Prakash Mahato, a resident of Kadodih in Jharkhand’s Koderma district, vanished in 2010 while traveling to Kolkata for work. Despite tireless searches and a missing person report, his whereabouts remained unknown—until a simple conversation changed everything.
Mahato, who had been battling mental health issues, unknowingly built a new life in Raniganj, West Bengal. Taken in by a kind hotel owner, he had spent years working at the establishment, known only as “Wrestler” to those around him. The breakthrough came when the hotel owner mentioned a trip to the Maha Kumbh. Hearing the words “Kumbh Mela,” Mahato suddenly insisted he must go, as his home was along the route. This triggered a flood of lost memories, eventually leading to his true identity.
On January 7, an emotional reunion took place at the Markacho police station, where Mahato met his wife and children—who had only known him through photographs. In a touching gesture, the hotel owner promised to take Mahato’s family to the Kumbh Mela, a journey that, in an unexpected twist, had brought him back home.
