Sundergarh: Three days after his missing, Birju Kulu, who had recently returned to his native village in the district after spending 20 years in Pakistan jail, has been traced to Talcher in Angul district.
A special team led by the inspector in-charge (IIC) of Kutra police station in the district has left for Talcher to bring him back to the home district, Sundergarh SP Sagarika Nath informed. Prima facie, Kulu's health condition is well, the SP added.
"The sister of Birju Kulu had lodged a complaint at Kutra police station on Sunday regarding the missing of his brother. Based on the complaint, we registered a case and accordingly launched a search operation by alerting police stations in neighbouring districts and State. A photo of Kulu was also circulated for his identification. After two days of operation, we have traced him to Talcher," Nath said.
A special team is bringing him back to Sundergarh. On his arrival, his health condition will be examined, Nath said.
It is said that he was mentally unsound after 20 years of jail term in the neighboring country.
Kulu went missing on Saturday night following which his sister lodged a complaint at Kutra police station next day.
Police had launched a search operation to locate him.
50-year-old Kulu, a resident of Katanga village under Kutra police limits in the district had returned to his native place after spending 20 years in a jail in Pakistan.
Kulu had left home at the age of 25 and somehow walked across the border into Pakistan by mistake when he was in Punjab. He was caught, taken into custody on the suspicion of being an Indian spy and put in jail in Lahore, Pakistan.
A team of officials from Sundergarh district administration had travelled to Amritsar in Punjab to bring Kulu back after he was released and handed over to the Indian authorities in November last year.
Kulu was accorded warm welcome after he reached his village. A large number of villagers from the area had welcomed him amidst traditional tribal dance, music and beating of drums and other instruments.