Mumbai/Surat:
In a touching gesture, a woman gave away her son, kidnapped two years ago, to another lady who had bought him as the latter developed a 'motherly' bond with the boy.
The decision has left Jignesh, now four years old, with two mothers - his biological one Shital Rajput and the adoptive one Aarti Tanavade, who lives in Jogeshwari suburb of north-west Mumbai.
Despite the joy of finding his son, Ms Rajput was overwhelmed by the circumstances confronting Ms Tanavade, who cared for him as her own son.
"I am a woman and a mother. I can understand Aarti's pain as she has undergone so much trauma in her own life... I am sure she will take good care of Jignesh," Rajput said yesterday.
Working as a tiffin supplier, Tanavade, wife of a textile company employee, was widowed in 1996 and later lost her only son to an illness.
"I will give him the best of education and care. Now, Jignesh has two mothers and we shall both give him love and care," she promised with tears in her eyes.
On January 26, 2011 Jignesh was reported missing from his home in Madhirpura, Surat, throwing the Rajput family into a well of gloom.
A few days ago, a woman, Rekha Solanki was noticed moving around the locality suspiciously. The locals alerted the police, who nabbed her.
After interrogation, police learnt that she was planning to kidnap a child from there and even spilled the beans on Jignesh, whom she had kidnapped and sold to Tanavade in Mumbai two years ago.
A police team rushed to Jogeshwari and rescued the kidnapped boy - exactly two years later on January 26, 2013. The Surat Police then landed at Rajput's home, accompanied by Jignesh and Tanavade, for a tearful reunion.
Solanki has been arrested for kidnapping and other charges. "We are interrogating Tanavade for her role in the case," said Madhipura police inspector KC Rajput.
The two women have initiated legal procedures for a smooth adoption of the boy. Tanavade has allowed Rajput to come and visit her son any time she wished.
Both 'mothers' together hugged the boy to pose for photographers and television crews at the unexpected happy, almost a fairy tale ending for the two women.