Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Jul 29: A youth who had become a nomad and was filling his stomach by being a beggar in the city has been reunited with his family after a gap of 12 years. Social workers made this happen.

Prashanth Shetty (37) from Vakwady Thenkabettu in Kundapur taluk had left home when he was 25. He was eking out a living by working as a coolie and at hotels in Kasargod, and different parts of Dakshina Kannada district. For the last three years, he used to seek alms from the tourists visiting Sri Krishna Mutt here and spent the nights in bus stands or verandas outside the shops.

Member of Udupi District Nagarika Samiti, Niyananda Olakadu, convinced the youth by talking to him about the ban on begging and that it can be treated as a crime. The youth knew nothing about his household or his family address except that he was from Kundapur. His photo was provided to social workers from Kundapur with a request for assistance. Social worker from Vakwady, Ambika, identified him and helped him to reunite with his mother.