Kidnapped son of Assam CM's Secretary returns

By Our Special Correspondent

GUWAHATI, APRIL 2. Avishek Verma, the eight-year old son of Mr. P. P. Verma, Commissioner and Secretary to the Chief Minister, who was kidnapped from Guwahati on March 8, 1995, returned here today after five long years.

His father had never given up hope of getting back his son, though he remained untraced all these years. There were vague reports from time to time that he was being shifted from place to place on the Indo-Nepal border.

An advertisement along with his photograph was published in North Indian dailies on March 8 this year, asking the boy to contact his father.

Someone saw the ad and contacted his father here. It was learnt that two years ago Avishek was found loitering in Palua village in Buxar district of Bihar and a family had given him shelter. The boy could tell nothing about his family or where he came from.

Mr. Verma went to Palua, recognized the boy who, however, could not recognize him. Mr. Verma came back and sent a photo album of his family to Palua. The boy reportedly recognized his own photograph, while his foster family and others of the village could find a marked resemblance between him and his late mother's photograph.

They then contacted Mr. Verma again. He went back to Palua for the second time. Yesterday, the father and son boarded a plane from Patna, landed in Calcutta, passed the night there and returned to Guwahati around noon today.

The identity of his kidnappers, however, is still shrouded in mystery as is the motive for the kidnapping. Very little is known either as to where the boy was kept from the time he disappeared till he was found at Palua.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Regional
Previous : SC categorisation Bill passed
Next     : Mahanta assures protection to Muslims