A distinctive pair of black rubber slippers, marked with the number 24 in white, played a crucial role in reuniting a mentally-challenged man with his family after he was found in Canning, South 24-Parganas district of West Bengal.
The man, identified as Suresh Mudiya, was discovered sleeping by the roadside at Thakuraniberia in the Canning-I Block. The unique slippers, which caught the attention of local villagers, led them to contact the Canning police station.
Officer-in-charge Sougata Ghosh directed the villagers to reach out to the West Bengal Radio Club (WBRC), an organization known for its expertise in helping mentally-challenged individuals reconnect with their families.
WBRC Secretary Ambarish Nag Biswas explained, “We received a call from Rekaul Mandal, the husband of Panchayat Pradhan Salma Mandal, who informed us about the situation. We identified the slippers as the type worn by prisoners, with the number indicating the specific cell.”
After considerable effort, the WBRC traced Suresh’s family to Narsimhapur in Madhya Pradesh. Although initial contacts were hesitant, it was eventually revealed that Suresh had been a murder convict serving a life sentence. The prison confirmed that he had been released after serving a 20-year term and was allowed to keep the slippers due to a lack of personal belongings.
Further investigation led to Suresh’s mother, Kanti Bai Mudiya, who was overwhelmed upon seeing her son’s photograph. She explained that Suresh had been convicted for the death of his brother-in-law, which occurred after an incident involving a motorcycle. Following his conviction, Suresh’s mental health deteriorated, leading to his release from prison under remission.
With no memory of his past and finding himself in West Bengal, Suresh had lost contact with his family. The WBRC facilitated his reunion with his mother, and his family is now on their way to Canning to bring him back home. Nag Biswas expressed gratitude to the villagers for their kindness and support in providing shelter and food to Suresh during this period.
