Tharupalli man claims he is Geeta’s father

Bolli Swamy claims her facial features match with that of his daughter who went missing in 2001

Peddapalli: Bolli Swamy, a resident of Tharupalli in Kalwasrirampur mandal of the district has claimed that Geeta, the woman who returned to India from Pakistan five years ago after going missing from her home about 20 years ago, is his daughter.

Swamy and his family members saw Geeta’s visit to Basar temple aired on television channels and in social media platforms on Tuesday and are convinced that she is indeed their long lost daughter going by the facial features that matched with that of Saritha, their daughter who went missing in 2001. Besides, the landmarks that Geeta gave about her childhood days also match with their residence in Tharupalli, Swamy told Telangana Today.

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The family has contacted the representatives of Anand Service Society, an Indore-based NGO, where she is taking shelter after she was handed over to India by Pakistan authorities following the initiative of the then External Affairs Minister late Sushma Swaraj.

Based on their advice, the family approached the district administration and submitted a representation on Thursday requesting them to hand over their daughter. They are ready to undergo DNA tests.

Geeta, it may be recalled, had gone missing 20 years ago, and somehow reached Pakistan by train. She took shelter in Edi Foundation there.

Swamy said he has two daughters Srilatha and Saritha and a son, Ajay. Saritha was a hearing and speech impaired child and was nine years when she went missing. “Back then, we used to stay in a hut which went up in flames accidentally. All of us were in the agriculture field then and Saritha was at home at the time of the incident,” he recalled.

Swamy said Saritha had run away from home probably under the impression that she would be held responsible for the fire accident and beaten up by her father. “Some villagers saw her walking towards Kolanur railway station. I immediately went to the railway station and searched for her but in vain. We also searched for her in different places for about five years and then we gave up,” he said.

His wife Rajeshwari fell sick and died in 2014. His son Ajay also died the same year.

Swamy appealed to the officials to take steps to reunite his daughter with the family. The girl’s uncle, Shyam, who was instrumental in matching Geeta’s features with that of Saritha, said the latter had a curl on her forehead and a mole on the left eyelid. Similar marks were found on Geeta’s face too, he said.

Moreover, the landmarks that Geeta explained through her gestures also match with the family’s residence in Tharupalli. According to Geeta, besides a tank, there was a temple near their residence and paddy fields. She also recalled a railway station and an idli centre.

While a tank is located about 50 metres away from Swamy’s residence, a temple is located 100 metres away. Paddy is the major crop in the village as well as surrounding areas.

Shyam appealed to the government to take steps to reunite Saritha with her family after completing all medical examinations including DNA test.

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