Pooja had lost her father during this long separation
The digital copy of a missing poster from 2013 has helped a teenaged girl reunite with her family after nine long years.
On the morning of January 22, 2013, Pooja, then 7-year-old, went to school with her brother in Mumbai's Andheri neighbourhood. There, Henry Joseph D'Souza allegedly offered to treat her with ice-cream and abducted her. D'Souza, who has now been arrested, has told police that he kidnapped Pooja as he and his wife did not have children then.
Henry sent Pooja to a hostel in Karnataka soon after to ensure that she is not recognised by anyone. Her name was changed to Annie D'Souza. Later, when the couple had a child of their own, they brought her back. It is learnt that they would make her do all household chores and did not treat her well.
The girl, now 16, did not remember much about her family members, who stayed barely a few hundred metres away. But when Henry, in a drunken state, told her that she is not his daughter, she started looking for clues in the past.
She and her friend kept searching "Pooja missing" on the internet and eventually found a missing poster from 2013. It had five numbers, but four of them were no longer in service. Fortunately, the one that still worked belonged to a neighbour of Pooja's family, Rafique.
The girl then called him up and told about herself. A surprised Rafique then spoke to her over a video call and identified her. He also arranged a call between Pooja and her mother. Pooja's mother recognised her instantly. Visuals showed the two fighting tears as they saw each other on the mobile phone's screen.
Local police were informed soon after, and they were present when the 16-year-old reunited with her family amid tears of joy and longed for embraces. Pooja had lost her father during this long separation. Her mother and brother, with whom she had gone to school on that fateful day, were short of words to express their happiness.
Senior police officer Milind Kurder has said Henry has been arrested under charges of kidnapping and unlawful labour. His wife has also been named an accused in the case.