He remembers being hungry, then nothing at all: How cross-border search helped Nepali man reunite with family

On September 13, Darji’s relative Dipak Shahi arrived at the Aastha Shelter Centre to take Darji back home.

A 24-hour cross-border search involving police and social workers in India and Nepal reunited 41-year-old Nepali man Khadka Bahadur Som Bahadur Darji with his family in the neighbouring country, after he was found wandering the streets of Nagpur with little memory of how he had reached the city.

Darji, a resident of Niskot in Nepal’s Myagdi district, had left home around August 9-10 without informing his family. He travelled to Delhi and then boarded a train to Tamil Nadu. During the journey, Darji remembered feeling hungry and then being helped with some dahi-bhaat (curd rice) by a co-passenger.

He remembers nothing after that.

“I ate dahi-bhaat. I do not remember anything after that,” Darji told those who later helped him.

On August 12, Dhantoli Police found Darji wandering in Nagpur and brought him to the Aastha Shelter Centre. But tracing his family was difficult as he could provide only fragmented information. The language barrier further complicated search efforts.

As news of a flash flood in Nepal reached him, Darji became increasingly anxious about his family, repeatedly expressing his desire to return home.

Shelter coordinator Tushar Hukre then approached Kunda Katekhaye Bidkar, Social Service Superintendent at the Regional Mental Hospital, Nagpur. Bidkar had earlier helped reunite patients with families across the border and began working with the limited details Darji could recall.

She contacted police in the Darbang area of Myagdi and also sought help from Shaligram Tiwari, chairperson and chief adviser of the Mankamana Ekta Foundation in Thane.

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Tiwari spoke to Darji over a video call and tried to piece together details about his identity and family. The efforts started to show some results with assistance from former Nepal Police DIG Prakash Adhikari. Luckily, the authorities found his family and arranged a video call between Darji, his brother, and other relatives.

On September 13, Darji’s relative Dipak Shahi arrived at the Aastha Shelter Centre to take Darji back home.

Ankita Deshkar is a Deputy Copy Editor and a dedicated fact-checker at The Indian Express. Based in Maharashtra, she specializes in bridging the gap between technical complexity and public understanding. With a deep focus on Cyber Law, Information Technology, and Public Safety, she leads "The Safe Side" series, where she deconstructs emerging digital threats and financial scams. Ankita is also a certified trainer for the Google News Initiative (GNI) India Training Network, specializing in online verification and the fight against misinformation. She is also an AI trainer with ADiRA (AI for Digital Readiness and Advancement) Professional Background & Expertise Role: Fact-checker & Deputy Copy Editor, The Indian Express Experience: Started working in 2016 Ankita brings a unique multidisciplinary background to her journalism, combining engineering logic with mass communication expertise. Her work often intersects regional governance, wildlife conservation, and digital rights, making her a leading voice on issues affecting Central India, particularly the Vidarbha region. Key focus areas include: Fact-Checking & Verification: As a GNI-certified trainer, she conducts workshops on debunking deepfakes, verifying viral claims, and using OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) tools. Cyber Law & IT: With postgraduate specialization in Cyber Law, she decodes the legalities of data privacy, digital fraud, and the evolving landscape of intellectual property rights. Public Safety & Health: Through her "The Safe Side" column, she provides actionable intelligence on avoiding "juice jacking," "e-SIM scams," and digital extortion. Regional Reporting: She provides on-ground coverage of high-stakes issues in Maharashtra, from Maoist surrenders in Gadchiroli to critical healthcare updates and wildlife-human conflict in Nagpur. Education & Credentials Ankita is currently pursuing her PhD in Mass Communication and Journalism, focusing on the non-verbal communication through Indian classical dance forms. Her academic foundation includes: MA in Mass Communication (RTM Nagpur University) Bachelors in Electrical Engineering (RTM Nagpur University) Post Graduate Diploma (PGTD) in Cyber Law and Information Technology Specialization in Intellectual Property Rights Recent Notable Coverage Ankita’s reportage is recognized for its investigative depth and emphasis on accountability: Cyber Security: "Lost money to a scam? Act within the 'golden hour' or risk losing it all" — A deep dive into the critical window for freezing fraudulent transactions. Public Health: "From deep coma to recovery: First fully recovered Coldrif patient discharged" — Investigating the aftermath of pharmaceutical toxins and the healthcare response. Governance & Conflict: "Gadchiroli now looks like any normal city: SP Neelotpal" — An analysis of the socio-political shift in Maoist-affected regions. Signature Beat Ankita is best known for her ability to translate "technical jargon into human stories." Whether she is explaining how AI tools like MahaCrimeOS assist the police or exposing the dire conditions of wildlife transit centres, her writing serves as a bridge between specialized knowledge and everyday safety. Contact & Follow X (Twitter): @ankita_deshkar Email: ankita.deshkar@indianexpress.com   ... Read More

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