Karachi: Geeta, a deaf-mute Indian woman forced to live in Pakistan after accidentally crossing the border as a child, has found her family. She will be flown to Delhi on October 26, to be reunited with her family after 12 long years.
Earlier this month, Geeta identified her father, step-mother and siblings from one of the many photographs sent to her by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
"Geeta will be back in India soon. We have located her family. She will be handed over to the family only after the DNA test," Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted this morning.
The family lives in Bihar and is reportedly in Delhi at present.
Geeta will travel from Karachi to Delhi with a woman who has been her mother in Pakistan - Bilkis Edhi of the Edhi foundation.
For weeks, the story of Geeta transfixed both India and Pakistan and inspired comparisons to the Salman Khan blockbuster "Bajrangi Bhaijaan", based on the mirror-image story of a little girl from Pakistan stuck in India.
Geeta was around 11 when she wandered over one of the world's most militarized borders. She has since been looked after by the charitable Edhi Foundation. In her room in Karachi, she prayed before a tiny temple filled with Hindu gods.
The temple is going back with her, say Pakistani officials, who shared that Geeta was "all packed and ready."
Geeta broke down in tears on watching "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" and yearned for home, something she shared with actor Salman Khan on NDTV. The actor plays Bajrangi, the man who made it his mission to take the girl to her family in Pakistan.
As Geeta's story gained fresh media attention after the film, the Indian government vowed to bring her back in a movie-style happy ending.
The man believed to be Geeta's father is Janardhan Mahto, who has five sons and two daughters. Geeta, he has claimed, is his first born Heera, who was lost in a fair in 2004.
Earlier this month, Geeta identified her father, step-mother and siblings from one of the many photographs sent to her by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
"Geeta will be back in India soon. We have located her family. She will be handed over to the family only after the DNA test," Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted this morning.
Geeta will travel from Karachi to Delhi with a woman who has been her mother in Pakistan - Bilkis Edhi of the Edhi foundation.
Advertisement
Geeta was around 11 when she wandered over one of the world's most militarized borders. She has since been looked after by the charitable Edhi Foundation. In her room in Karachi, she prayed before a tiny temple filled with Hindu gods.
Advertisement
Geeta broke down in tears on watching "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" and yearned for home, something she shared with actor Salman Khan on NDTV. The actor plays Bajrangi, the man who made it his mission to take the girl to her family in Pakistan.
Advertisement
The man believed to be Geeta's father is Janardhan Mahto, who has five sons and two daughters. Geeta, he has claimed, is his first born Heera, who was lost in a fair in 2004.
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Pakistan Players Hold China Flag During Asian Champions Trophy Final Against India. Internet Reacts Pakistan Finish Third In Asian Champions Trophy After Comeback Win Against Korea Pakistan Coach Backs Australia Quartet To "Do The Job" In Border-Gavaskar Trophy vs India 9 Dead, 2,800 Hurt As Pagers Explode Across Lebanon, Hezbollah Blames Israel 'Pager Bombs' Target Hezbollah In Lebanon. What We Know So Far - 5 Points IndiGo Flight Tailstrike Leaves Huge Dent During Take-Off From Delhi Airport PM Modi To Visit US For Quad Summit, Attend UN Assembly From September 21-24 Ground Report: Central Forces' Canteens Open To Public In Violence-Hit Manipur Air India To Give $400 Million Makeover To Over Half Of Its Fleet Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.