A Jharkhand family on Wednesday claimed that after a 27-year-long search they had tracked down a lost family member at the Kumbh Mela, which is currently underway in Prayagraj, reported PTI.
The lost family member, Gangasagar Yadav, is now a 65-year-old ‘Aghori’ monk named Baba Rajkumar.
Gangasagar had gone missing in 1998 after traveling to Patna, and his whereabouts remained unknown until now. His wife, Dhanwa Devi, had been left to raise their two sons, Kamlesh and Vimlesh, on her own.
Murli Yadav, Gangasagar’s younger brother said, “Over the years, we lost hope of ever seeing him again until one of our relatives attending the Kumbh Mela noticed a man resembling Gangasagar and took his photograph. The photo was sent to us and I, along with Dhanwa Devi and their two sons, rushed to the Kumbh Mela, determined to bring him back.”
However, when they met Baba Rajkumar at the Mela, he refused to acknowledge his former identity as Gangasagar Yadav.
He claimed to be a Sadhu from Varanasi, and denied all connections to his past life.
The family insisted that he was Gangasagar, identifying details such as is long teeth, an injury on his forehead, and a noticeable scar on his knee.
Dhanwa Devi and Murli Yadav have demanded a DNA test to confirm the true identity of the man.
“We will wait until the end of the Kumbh Mela and, if necessary, insist on a DNA test. If the test doesn’t match, we will issue an apology to Baba Rajkumar,” Murli Yadav said.
Meanwhile, some family members returned home, while others remained at the Mela, closely monitoring Baba Rajkumar and his companion Sadhvi. Once the Mela concludes, they are ready to take legal action if a proposed DNA test confirms their claims.
Gangasagar’s disappearance had a profound impact on Yadav’s family, particularly his young children. At the time, his elder son was just two years old, and his younger son had not yet been born.