HYDERABAD: Sometimes life can be more dramatic than fiction, it is said. And 12-year-old Wasim's story is a classic example.

Reel life drama unfolded in real life for the boy working in a flower shop at Mozamjahi Market two days ago when a couple descended there, claiming him as their son. A lathe machine operator, Mohd. Khalid and his wife Shamim Begum told Wasim that he is their son who went missing at the age of four years in Mangalhat eight years ago.

Even before Wasim could understand what the man and woman were saying and make up his mind, they took him to their house in Reinbazar.

The story took a twist when the boy's parents — Mohd. Toufiq and Ghousia Begum — with whom he is presently living at Moosanagar in Chaderghat disputed the Reinbazar couple's claim.

No convincing proof

On learning that his son was taken away, Toufiq went to Khalid and picked up an argument. Incidentally, Khalid, too, could not show any `convincing' evidence, and the matter reached Chaderghat police station on Tuesday morning.

According to Khalid, the boy went missing when they came to Mangalhat in 1998 to attend a function at a relative's house.

"Toufiq and Ghousia were fair enough to agree that they found the boy loitering on the road near Moosanagar on February 2 of the same year. They even recorded the date," the SI explained. Recently, they employed him in the flower shop.

They made it clear that they would be ready to send back the boy to his original parents but that had to be proved beyond all doubts. Shamim's friend and neighbour Lalita, a flower vendor who comes to MJ Market to buy flowers at wholesale rates, grew suspicious after spotting Wasim. She wasted no time and told Shamim that she saw a boy looking like the latter's missing son.

The police allowed Toufiq to take Wasim to their house till the facts are ascertained. Since no case was registered, Khalid and Shamim expressed readiness to take DNA tests for ascertaining the boy's parenthood.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail