Mandi: A 50-year-old woman from Karnataka, who had been missing for 25 years, has been found living in an old age home in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi. Identified as Sakamma, she is set to reunite with her family and return to her home state on Wednesday.

Sakamma, a resident of Dananayakanakere village in Ballari, went missing after attending a relative's wedding in Hosapete with her children over two decades ago. In a tragic twist of fate, she accidentally boarded a train to Chandigarh and spent the ensuing years enduring hardships across several northern states. Eventually, she found refuge at an old age home in Mandi.

Her family, after failing to locate her despite filing a missing person complaint, had presumed her dead and even performed her last rites.

The breakthrough came when a young IPS officer visited the old age home and noticed Sakamma speaking in Kannada. Upon hearing her story, the officer contacted the Karnataka government's social welfare department. With their assistance, the family was located, paving the way for Sakamma’s long-awaited reunion.

This remarkable discovery shows the power of diligence and empathy in reuniting lost individuals with their loved ones. Sakamma’s return is a moment of joy and closure for her family, who had lost hope of ever seeing her again.