68-year-old woman searches for brother gone missing since 55 years

The colonel and his wife Champa. Pic/Nimesh Dave

A 68-year-old wife of a retired Colonel from the Indian Army wanted to see her 70-year-old brother before her last breath, who was allegedly missing since the past 55 years from Rajasthan.

After getting word that Her husband, the retired Colonel, also desperate to fulfil his wife's ambition brought her to the city and wanted to surprise her by reuniting her with her brother on Raksha Bandhan

Unfortunately, she did not have any information, address or photos of the missing person. The wife and her husband were in the dark for many years until they came to know her missing brother was seen in Mumbai. The wife then wrote a letter to the Mumbai commissioner, requesting him to search for her missing brother and fulfill her dying wish.

Mrs Champa Chhawal (68) the wife of the retired colonel of Bihar regiment (70) Sultan Singh Chhawal had a paralysis attack in 2007 and since then she has been unable to walk without any support. She came to Mumbai with her husband in July in search of her missing brother, Mohan Meena (70).

Champa was the youngest sister of three brothers of whom two passed away. She had lost her parents at a very young age at 6-8 months. She and her three brothers were brought up by her maternal grandmother (Nani) at Rajgarh district Churu in Rajasthan.

Two of her brothers in made careers in the Railways. Mohan was the youngest and a little bit of a rebel who couldn't adjust with his elder brothers. He came to Mumbai and started a life by earning through petty jobs in small hotels and dhabas.

She remained with my Nani and maternal uncles (Mama) who ultimately got her married with colonel Sultan Singh in 1968.

Speaking to mid-day correspondent Samiullah Khan, Champa said, "A long separation from my brothers did have some adverse effects on our relationship. We did not have any connection. After marriage, the environment changed as I was travelling to different parts of the country with my husband and kids. My elder son is currently residing in Sweden. My younger son is a doctor, scriptwriter who is currently living in Mumbai near Infinity Mall, Malad West.

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She continued, " The last time I met Mohan was in 1968 after my marriage when he met me at my Nani's house and took me to visit various places in western Rajasthan near Bikaner. I stayed with Mohan for over 15 days and at the time of our departure, he mentioned that it could be our last meeting. He said he was likely to marry a Muslim girl in Mumbai and that our family would certainly not approve. He said he never would be in touch with our family."

The villagers told us different stories. One said that he worked with a trader from Churu district in Rajasthan living in Mumbai for over 20 years and that the trader was impressed with Mohan and got his daughter married to him before his death. Mohan was living a happy life. The other said that he got married to a Muslim girl and had no desire to connect with his family. The third story was that he got in touch with a notorious gang."

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Champa is yet to be reunited with her brother.

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