TikTok video helps in reuniting missing disabled man with family in Telangana after 2 years

PTI, May 25, 2020, 10:26 AM IST

Hyderabad: A 60-year-old hearing and speech impaired man, who had gone missing over two years ago from Telangana, has been traced in Punjab, and reunited with his family on Sunday thanks to a video shared on TikTok, police said.

Police traced to Ludhiana the location of R Venkateshwarlu, who went missing from Bhadradri-Kothagudem district in April 2018, after the man’s daughter and son saw him taking food in a visual posted on the video-sharing platform.

The man’s son Peddiraju reached Ludhiana on Sunday and was returning with his father to their native place, police said.

Earlier, Police traced the video to a police constable of Ludhiana, who had posted it.

“Later police traced the location of the missing man and his son recognized him during a video call was made to verify the identity of Venkateshwarlu,” a police official told PTI.

“Peddiraju left for Punjab in a vehicle after a pass was issued for the travel,” the official said adding the father and son would reach Telangana by Monday.

A missing case was registered after Venkateshwarlu’s family members filed a complaint, but he remained untraced till they stumbled on the video.

They expressed their happiness and thanked everyone who helped them in reuniting the man with his family.