Home / Crime and Justice / Lost Boy Returns Home After 13 Years in Kerala
Lost Boy Returns Home After 13 Years in Kerala
27 Aug
Summary
- Raja Gope was reunited with his family after 13 years away.
- He got separated from his father at age six and ended up in Kerala.
- Authorities and NGOs helped trace his family in Jharkhand.
Raja Gope, now 20, has returned to his home village in Jharkhand after a 13-year separation. At the age of six, he lost contact with his father and accidentally boarded a train to Kerala instead of traveling to West Bengal. He spent over a decade in Kerala, where he was cared for by child rights activists and lived in a children's home. Gope retained fragmented memories of his origins, including his parents' first names and the location name Chaibasa.
His reunification occurred in March 2026, thanks to collaborative efforts by police, child welfare authorities, and NGOs. A significant clue emerged when the Child Welfare Committee in Thrissur, Kerala, reported a young man from Chaibasa. Information circulated via social media and police networks eventually connected with his family. A special police team traveled to Kerala to bring Gope back to Jharkhand on March 10, 2026.
The 13 years away profoundly impacted Gope, who now speaks Malayalam and Hindi but has forgotten his native Ho language. He developed a passion for football in Kerala and was part of a skill-development program. His journey home involved verification processes, including a declaration from his mother, as his father had passed away four years prior. The reunion in Harimara village was a joyous occasion, marked by a village celebration.
