Rohtas: A woman from Bihar who had gone missing from the recently concluded Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj was found after 15 days reportedly through social media from Jharkhand. Lakhpato Devi, a resident of Bihar's Rohtas district, had gone to the Maha Kumbh with her family on February 23.
However, due to the massive crowd, she got separated from her family. Devi's family searched her for two days, but could not locate her, reported NDTV. They returned home and filed a missing complaint with the police.
However, almost 15 days later, reports surfaced that Devi was found in Jharkhand's Garhwa district, which is around 310 km from Prayagraj and 110 km from Rohtas. The Sarpanch of Bahiar Khurd village, Soni Devi, played a key role in ensuring Lakhpato Devi's safe return.
As per the sarpanch's husband, Virendra Baitha, the woman had arrived in Garhwa in a confused state, reported NDTV. He further said that Lakhpato Devi seemed disoriented and was unable to remember how she reached Garhwa. Soni Devi provided her shelter and food.
The sarpanch's husband then contacted a person who used social media so that the woman's family could be traced. Baitha's acquaintance then shared Lakhpato Devi's image and other details online. Fortunately, the woman's son, Rahul Kumar, came across the post while using social media.
Kumar then travelled to Garhwa and brought back her mother.
In February, a similar incident took place where a a man presumed to be dead in the Maha Kumbh 2025 returned home after 13 days. The man, in his 60s, is a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj. He reportedly walked back home on his tehrvi (the ritual performed in Hinduism on the 13th day of a person's death).