Bhopal:
The life of Neha Sharma, a 22-year-old girl rescued from Uttarakhand and brought to Bhopal, took an unexpected turn on Tuesday when her missing father and sister turned up at the hospital she was being treated at.
Neha's parents went missing in the disaster that struck Uttarakhand on June 15. With her 18-year-old sister Aayushi in tow, she went looking for her parents. However, her sister went missing.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan found Neha and brought her back to Bhopal on Monday with other stranded pilgrims. "She was inconsolable, even her 18 years old younger sister who also followed her is missing. I have brought Neha with me to Bhopal. State shall do its utmost to trace her family and shall provide her a job to help her. I have nine adopted daughters she will be the tenth," he tweeted.
On Tuesday, Aayushi and her father Mahaveer Prasad Sharma showed up at the hospital in Bhopal where Neha is being treated. However, Neha denies Mr Sharma is her father. She has recognised her younger sister, who in turn has identified him as their father.
"I got a call from Bhopal that my daughter is here so I have come. She has refused to recognise me. I and my wife are safe we had gone to Uttarakhand but came back safely," Mr Sharma said. Aayushi has been kept away from the media.
The state government, which had announced compensation and a government job for Neha, is trying hard to figure out the truth. "They are trying to find out the truth in the case and are hopeful of knowing it by Wednesday," Collector Nishant Warwade said.
According to Manju Sharma, a counsellor attending to Neha in the hospital, the shock was probably the reason she was unable to recognise her father. The state government say they are trying to ascertain her claim, sources say.