Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (SB)
Mangaluru, Jul 8: Years back Baswaraj (45) left his hometown Challekere, Chitradurga without any reason and started to roam on streets. His family members lodged a missing complaint with the local police station and kept searching for him continuously. At the time of filing the case, they also informed the police that he is mentally sick. After many months of wait they could not trace him. Baswaraj also did not return home.
It is learnt that Baswaraj roamed all around Karnataka and reached Balmatta Road in the city. On spotting the helpless man, who was mentally disturbed and also polio-stricken, the manager Jerald Fernandes immediately informed White Doves, a leading NGO is city, which always comes to the help of destitute. Once the information was received, Corrine Rasquinha, the founder of the White Doves, rushed to the spot and picked up the man who was in a shabby and filthy state.
After taking him to the home of White Doves, he was bathed, fed and given a bed to sleep and in the following days was counselled. Day by day he started to respond to the medicines and treatment and recovered from his mental issues.
Once the details of his hometown were obtained, White Doves contacted his family and they were happy to know that Baswaraj was alive in Mangaluru. On Monday morning, July 8, his brother-in-law and elder brother visited White Doves and took Baswaraj back to their hometown in Challekere Taluk of Chitradurga district.
“We almost lost hope to see Baswaraj alive. But White Doves saved him in the form of God. The institution not only gave shelter to him but also treated him and converted him back as a normal man. We will never forget the administration and staff of White Doves because they gave back our brother to us,” said an emotional brother-in-law of Baswaraj.
This is the 386th incident in White Doves’ history, of reuniting a destitute with his or her family. White Doves Psychiatric Nursing and Destitute Home will provide homely residential care in an atmosphere of love and acceptance for destitute, neglected and mentally ill persons who are pushed to the streets due to unfortunate circumstances. The centre will reach out to women, young women in particular, who suffer from mental illness and save them from situations of sexual violence and exploitation from the hands of anti-social elements on the streets. The home will provide essential services such as boarding, lodging, counselling, psychiatric care, critical care support and rehabilitation to those in vulnerable situation. Besides this, the institution will look on the matters of children from marginalized groups to encourage their schooling and higher education.