Missing woman from Bengal reunited with family

Pabitri Bairagi was diagnosed with mental illness 16 years ago and she was being treated. “She refrained from taking medicines regularly and went missing during Durga Puja in West Bengal. She somehow took a train to Chennai,” said Ratheesh K Ram, from the Banyan, an NGO that deals with persons with problems pertaining to mental health.

Stating that the St Joseph’s hospice rescued her, he said, “They took care of her. However, when they landed in controversies, the district social welfare office in Kancheepuram took her and contacted Jeeva Jothi, a home for the aged and physically ill. They referred her to Little Hearts on May 2 -- as it takes care of the mentally ill.”

Bairagi was being treated by Dr Anbudurai from Netmeds and was on medication. “We visited her at the organisation and she was communicating only in Bengali. It was a challenge due to the language barrier. However, we managed to understand that she was from Rangapani in West Bengal,” he said.  

Stating that they were able to get in touch with Rangapani officials, a source said, “We contacted senior police officers there and they responded. Her family had reportedly given a complaint and informed railway stations, too, after she went missing. But they were unable to trace her.”Bairagi returned home with her son and his brother-in-law, who came to Chennai to pick her up.