A 53-year-old resident of South Dinajpur district, reportedly mentally challenged, returned home on Monday from Bangladesh after over a year.

Kartik Biswas, a resident of Nazirpur under Patiram police station of the district, had crossed the India-Bangladesh border by mistake last year in November and had been intercepted by the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB).

Jagat Singha, Kartik’s son-in-law, said he would stroll across the village. “However, on November 27 last year, he went out and did not return home,” the son-in-law added.

Baby, Kartik’s wife, had then filed a missing diary with the local police. Police searched for him without success.

As days went on without his return, his family members suspected that he might have strayed into Bangladesh by mistake.

The India-Bangla border is some 20km from Kartik’s home.

“We contacted some of our friends and relatives who export goods to Bangladesh through Hilli. They shared my husband’s photograph and other details with their counterparts in Bangladesh. Finally, on September this year, we came to know that my husband is under treatment at a hospital in Hilli of Bangladesh,” Baby said.

Then came the business of bringing Kartik back to India. The family then contacted Sadikul Islam, an IT professional and a social worker in Calcutta, who has since the lockdown helped many migrant workers, in India and overseas, get in touch with their families in Bengal.

Islam started communicating with the Union external affairs ministry and the Bangladesh High Commission.

“Eventually, we could bring him back home after efforts of months. The BGB authorities had also realised he is mentally challenged, hence no case was registered against him. It is because of certain technical issues that his repatriation process got delayed,” said Islam.

On Monday, Baby, Jagat and some others went to Patiram police station. From there, they were taken to Dipapara border outpost of the Border Security Force (BSF) in Mahipal under Kushmandi police station.

A team of BSF moved towards the border as a team of BGB and other officials walked in, carrying Kartik in a stretcher.

When he met his family members, Kartik could recognise them. The final formalities were carried out and Kartik was handed over to the family.

“He has grown weak and can’t walk. But it is a great relief for us to have him home at last. We hope he will recuperate soon,” said Baby.

Jagat said he was fine before 2012 and would run a husking mill and a decorator's business.

“But after a road accident in 2012 he was unconscious for three days. After that, he recovered but was never the same again. He became mentally challenged. Since then, we have been taking care of his business,” the son-in-law added.

Kartik, his family members said, had almost stopped talking after the accident. The family consulted several doctors but to no avail. He preferred to take solitary walks.