Sakamma, a woman from Kuruvalli Village in Bellary taluk missing for nearly two decades, has been found in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. Officials confirmed she is set to be reunited with her family soon.
Bellary district’s Social Welfare Department has dispatched a team to Mandi to bring back the 50-year-old woman. The discovery was facilitated by Ravinandan B M, a police officer in Mandi, who recorded a video of Sakamma and sent it to his friend Vijay Kumar in Bengaluru. Vijay shared the video on his X account, drawing attention to her situation.
P. Manivannan, Principal Secretary of the Karnataka Social Welfare Department, quickly acted on the post and contacted Mandi’s District Superintendent of Police. A three-member team from Bellary has already reached Chandigarh to accompany Sakamma back to Karnataka. Bellary District Magistrate Prashant Kumar Mishra stated, “She will fly to Bengaluru tomorrow evening and then travel to Bellary. Her children have been informed, and preparations are underway for her arrival.”
Sakamma’s son Yallappa, who resides in Guggarahatti near Bellary, expressed his emotions: “Our mother disappeared when we were kids. We are overjoyed to have her back.”
The family had presumed Sakamma to be dead after an extensive but unsuccessful search, even performing post-death rituals. A relative shared, “We thought she had passed away and conducted her tithi. Now, we are happy her children will have their mother again.”
In a video, Sakamma recounted that she hailed from Dananayakanahalli near Hospet. She boarded a train from Hospet railway station 25 years ago but ended up in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, without knowing how to return. Over time, she found shelter in an orphanage.
Authorities credit the swift action of Karnataka’s Social Welfare Department for this heartwarming reunion.