A woman from Dhanbad district of Jharkhand has sought a DNA test by authorities upon a monk, who resembles her husband who has been missing for the past 27 years. The man was found by the family at Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
Gangasagar Yadav (65), a resident of Bhuli in Dhanbad, who disappeared 27 years ago, was reportedly found at the Maha Kumbh, now living as an Aghori Sadhu with a Sadhvi.
Vimlesh Yadav, Gangasagar’s younger son, shared that a relative visiting the Kumbh Mela spotted a man resembling his father. The relative clicked a photo and sent it to the family in Dhanbad.
Recognising the man in the picture, Vimlesh, his younger brother Kamlesh, and their mother Dhanwa Devi immediately travelled to the festival. When they finally met him, Dhanwa Devi confirmed his identity.
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However, the man, who now calls himself Baba Rajkumar Aghori, refused to acknowledge Dhanwa Devi as his wife or recognise Kamlesh and Vimlesh as his sons.
Despite his denial, the family remains convinced that he is indeed Gangasagar, citing distinctive features such as his long teeth and a scar on his forehead as proof.
Determined to bring him back, Dhanwa Devi, her sons, and other relatives have been staying at Kumbh Nagar, hoping to convince him to accept his past identity.
Following his refusal, some family members returned home, while others stayed back to keep an eye on him and the Sadhvi accompanying him. They have decided to pursue a DNA test after the festival to confirm their claim.
“We have submitted an application to the Dhanbad Deputy Commissioner on Wednesday, requesting a DNA test to establish the truth. The Deputy Commissioner has asked us to visit on Monday,” said Vimlesh Yadav.
If the test proves them wrong, they are prepared to offer an unconditional apology to the Aghori, he added.
Dhanwa Devi recounted that Gangasagar had gone to Patna in 1998 and never came back. Relatives searched for him across Bihar and neighbouring states but found no clue about his whereabouts.
“My husband, Gangasagar Yadav, was involved in the cattle trade. One morning, he left home and vanished. We searched everywhere but couldn’t find him. We had lost hope of ever seeing him again until recently, when someone informed us that he had been seen at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj,” she recalled.
“At the time he disappeared, my elder son was only two years old, and my younger son was still in my womb,” she added.
“When we received the news, I, along with my sons and other family members, went to Prayagraj on January 26. After a long search, we finally located him. The moment I saw him, I recognised him instantly and pleaded with him to return home. But he acted like a stranger, refused to acknowledge me, and kept chanting Mahadev’s name,” said Dhanwa Devi.
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