Bhubaneswar, July 15: In an emotional reunion, Bela Behera, an elderly woman from Odisha's Ganjam district who had been missing for more than a decade, is finally set to return home and witness the Puri Rath Yatra once again. After spending over 10 years at a government-run old-age home in Murshidabad district of West Bengal, the woman will soon reunite with her family.

According to her family, Bela, now in her late 70s, had left home to buy flowers ahead of the annual Rath Yatra over a decade ago but never returned. Despite extensive searches, her family could not trace her. A flower seller by profession, Bela had raised her three sons through her trade and continued selling flowers even after her children became financially independent.

It remains unclear how she reached West Bengal. She was later rescued from the streets by local police and, following a court order, was shifted to the Tokia Citizen Home for the elderly in Murshidabad. Since Bela spoke only Odia and could not provide her address, repeated efforts by authorities to locate her family remained unsuccessful.

The breakthrough came after the old-age home's superintendent contacted the West Bengal Radio Club (WBRC), an organisation that helps reunite missing persons with their families. With the help of volunteers in Ganjam, Bela's family was finally traced.

During an emotional video call with her son Keshav, both were moved to tears. Keshav recalled that his mother had taken the family to the Puri Rath Yatra every year. Since her disappearance, the family had stopped attending the festival, praying instead for her safe return. This year, Bela's homecoming will make the pilgrimage especially meaningful.

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