A Jharkhand family’s 27-year search for their lost member has seemingly come to an end at the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. Gangasagar Yadav, who disappeared in 1998 from Dhanbad, has been found–as an Aghori monk.
The family’s hopes rekindled when relatives attending the Kumbh Mela spotted a man resembling Gangasagar and shared a photo with the family back home. Recognising familiar features like his long teeth, a forehead injury, and a knee scar, Gangasagar’s wife, Dhanwa Devi, his sons, Kamlesh and Vimlesh, and his brother, Murli Yadav, rushed to the Mela.
However, Gangasagar, who is now a 65-year-old ‘Aghori’ known as Baba Rajkumar, refused to acknowledge his past life or his family. Claiming to be from Varanasi, he denied any connection to Gangasagar Yadav.
Despite his denials, the family remains convinced of his true identity. They have informed the Kumbh Mela police and are demanding a DNA test to definitively prove their relationship.
“We will wait until the end of the Kumbh Mela,” said Murli Yadav. “If the test doesn’t match, we will apologise to Baba Rajkumar.”
His wife Dhanwa Devi is pleading with the government to help reunite my husband with his family.
“Twenty-seven years ago, in our village, we were celebrating my younger brother-in-law’s wedding. During the festivities, he left, saying he was going to buy a saree for the occasion. He never returned. Recently, a relative sent us a video from the Kumbh Mela, where we spotted him. We immediately went there and even spoke with him, but he refused to acknowledge us, even his own wife,” she said, insisting, “He is my husband”.
Murli Yadav, younger brother of Gangasagar said, “Over the years, we lost hope of ever seeing him again until one of our relatives attending the Kumbh Mela noticed a man resembling Gangasagar and took his photograph”.
Gangasagar’s mother, Kalo Devi, also pleaded, “I just want my son to come home to me somehow”.
The family now hopes that a potential DNA test will solve the decades-long mystery. Some family members have returned home, while others remain at the Kumbh Mela, keeping watch on Baba Rajkumar.