Gujarat Police reunites missing Maharashtra woman with family

The woman was spotted walking alone on the Lathi–Chavand road by a police team on night patrol on June 29 around 11:00 p.m. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

A routine night patrol by the Lathiya police in Gujarat’s Amreli district led to the reunion of a mentally ill woman with her family in neighboring Maharashtra, nearly nine months after she went missing. Officers tracking her identity used a single clue – the word “Talasari” – a reference to a predominantly tribal taluka and municipal council in Maharashtra’s Palghar district.

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The woman was spotted walking alone on the Lathi–Chavand road by a police team on night patrol on June 29 around 11:00 p.m.

When questioned, the woman was unable to give her name or address and appeared to be mentally unwell, Amreli Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kharat said.

Tracing the trail

“She repeatedly uttered the word ‘Talasari’, prompting the police to search for the place on Google Maps. After identifying Talasari in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, the police showed her photographs of the town, which she gestured to as her birthplace,” he told The Hindu.

The Lathi police then contacted the Palghar police station and obtained the contact details of the Talasari police station. After sharing the photo of the woman, Talasari identified her family and provided the contact number of her father, Shankarbhai Vanshyabhai Valvi.

Mr. Valvi confirmed that the woman was his daughter Jagrutiben, who left home nine months ago without informing the family. He also told the police that no missing person complaint had been filed, Mr. Kharat said.

Blended families

After her identity was verified, Ms. Jagrutiben was accommodated at the Sakhi One Stop Center in Amreli for temporary care. On July 1, after completing the necessary formalities, she was reunited with her family.

“We understand the pain of families whose loved ones are missing. They are left wondering what could have happened to them. In 2025 and this year, we have taken it as a mission to trace missing persons, including children who have run away or disappeared, and reunite them with their families,” Mr Kharat said.

As part of Operation Milap, the Amreli district police traced and reunited 100 children and 314 adults with their families in 2025 and 2026.

Published – 05 Jul 2026 21:59 IST