Sundargarh: Fifty-one-year-old Birju Kulu from Sundargarh who had returned to his native village Katanga under Kutra police limits in the district after spending 20 years in a Pakistani jail and later went missing January 2 night, was traced to Talcher, Sundargarh SP Sagarika Nath informed Tuesday.
A team led by Kutra police station IIC left for Talcher to bring Kulu back. Birju, who is mentally unstable, had left his home and boarded a truck to reach Talcher, a source said.
The incident came to the fore after Birju’s sister Tedrace Kulu lodged an FIR in this regard at Kutra police station Sunday afternoon.
Acting on the FIR, police launched a search operation.
Notably, Birju had returned after a long lapse of time in November last year. The man was accompanied by senior government officials who escorted him to his village. He was given a warm welcome by his fellow villagers amidst traditional tribal dance, music and beating of drums.
Since then, Birju had been staying at Katanga village with his paternal uncle, aunt and sister Tedrace.
Birju had left his home at the age of 25 years and had mistakenly crossed the India-Pakistan border. Pakistan’s army caught him suspecting him to be a spy from India. He was imprisoned in a Pakistani jail for 20 years.
PNN