Chennai: Man reunites with family after a decade

Coimbatore: After a decade of wandering on the streets as he lost his way to home, Ayyappan was reunited with his family, thanks to the efforts put in by MD and volunteers of city-based ‘Eera Nenjam’, an organisation that works towards rehabilitating destitute and abandoned persons.

Two days ago, a passerby noticed Ayyappan, getting drenched in the rain. This was shared in social media and P. Mahendiran, managing director ‘Eera Nenjam’, who  visited the location and identified this man. “We informed officials at the B5 police station and missing complaints were scanned, but we could not trace the whereabouts of this man.

“After several rounds of interaction with him, he shared with us what he has been through in the last ten years.  With the help of local police, we got in touch with his family members in Nagercoil, who were here on Saturday to receive him,” Mahendiran said.

It has been more than a decade since Mahendiran and his team of volunteers has been working towards reuniting people with their families.  Social media has been of big help in their effort. More than 300 have been sent home safely so far, a majority of them being the elderly.

“A youth from Nepal who was working here was robbed and was thrown out of the train while on his way home. Through social media we traced his hometown and local police coordinated  to ensure that he reached home.” Mahendiran tells us.

Until they are back to their home, medical treatment is provided by ‘Eera Nenjam’ to those who need it. Volunteers of this organisation also perform the last rites of victims of hit-and-run cases whose families are untraceable. Till now 150 dead persons have been cremated.