Missing Ghaffar Manzil youth reunited with family after four years
There was no limit to the joy for Mohammad Imran’s family in Jamia Nagar on Wednesday. Four years after he vanished without a trace, the 22-year-old returned home, turning the Jamia Nagar Police Station into a scene of overwhelming emotion as tears of relief and disbelief streamed down the faces of his loved ones. Imran, too, broke down in happiness.
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A resident of Haji Colony near Ghaffar Manzil Part-II, Imran had been mentally challenged since childhood, said his family members. His vulnerability made his sudden disappearance in 2022 all the more terrifying for the family. An FIR was lodged at the Jamia Nagar Police Station a day after he went missing, and from that moment, the family entered a long, exhausting wait for his return.
A journalist who covered the family’s appeals over the years put it: “They never stopped searching. Not for a single day.”
“When he went missing, we filed a report immediately. Since that day, we have never stopped looking for him,” a family member said, their voice trembling as they recalled the endless nights of uncertainty. They expressed gratitude to the Jamia Nagar police for standing with them through the ordeal and at last bringing him back.
The breakthrough came unexpectedly. Imran was traced to a village in Greater Noida with the help of Delhi Police. He said he was “picked up from the vegetable market” and “taken away in a car,” though his mental condition makes it difficult for him to recount what happened during that day.
What followed felt almost like a movie scene. According to the journalist, a man from Okhla who had travelled to the Greater Noida village for AC repair work happened to spot Imran there. Recognising him instantly, he recorded a video and alerted the family.
“In many such cases, missing individuals end up being exploited. They are made to herd animals or forced into other menial, bonded-labour-like work. This is what I deduced from this case too,” the journalist said.
Soon after, a group of residents accompanied Imran’s family to the village in the hope of bringing him back. But the attempt turned tense. “As soon as we called out from outside their house, women came out with sticks and hit us,” said a resident who showed injuries on his head and arm. The group then sought help from the local police, who intervened and ensured Imran’s safe recovery. Only then did the long-awaited reunion become possible.
Back home in Haji Colony, the air was charged with celebration as neighbours poured in to welcome Imran. “It felt like Eid today,” a resident said with a broad smile. “He is like a younger brother to all of us. The whole colony loves him.”
For the family, the moment was nothing short of a miracle. After four years of uncertainty, fear, and prayer, Imran was finally home.
“He is safe… Alhamdulillah,” an elder said, gently placing a hand on Imran’s shoulder, their eyes glistening with gratitude for the neighbours, for the police, and for the stroke of fate that brought their son back.
Residents gathered in large numbers outside Imran’s home, their mobile phones raised as they captured the moment they had once thought would never come. Some clapped, others jostled playfully for a better view, each trying to catch a glimpse of the boy who had returned after four long years. Imran, overwhelmed but smiling, laughed as familiar faces called out to him. He shook hands with neighbours, responding to their affection with shy warmth. For that brief, beautiful moment, Imran became the star of the entire neighbourhood.
