This is one story that even the late Manmohan Desai, the king of Bollywood potboilers, would have been proud of. Only this time it is for real.
On a bright April day in 1981, seven-year-old Shahazadi and her sister were kidnapped, allegedly by their maternal uncle.
Kishwar was found within a week, but Shahazadi was never seen again.
Cut to 2003.
Shahazadi, all of 29 years and with a Swiss husband to boot, is back in her native Mariahun -- a non-descript village in Bhadohi district of Uttar Pradesh.
Her family members and the rest the village can't believe their eyes. After all, here was a girl who they had given up for dead standing before them with a Swiss husband in tow!
After being kidnapped, Shahazadi somehow made it to a children's home in Kolkata from where she was adopted by a Swiss couple and taken to Switzerland.
Shahazadi's parents, who had given up all hope, could finally trace their daughter on the basis of an appeal published by her Swiss parents through the Delhi Police.
Her father Mohammad Rafi got in touch with the Delhi Police and claimed that Shahazadi was their daughter. The claim was later substantiated by a DNA test.
After the DNA test Shahazadi contacted them from Switzerland to tell them that she would soon be visiting them.
The villagers accorded a rousing reception to their daughter. Such was the emotional outpouring that the cops had to use mild force to control the surging crowds of curious onlookers.
Though Shahazadi was able to recognise all her family members, as also her house, language turned out to be the major obstacle.
Her husband is an engineer and speaks fluent Dutch. Shahzadi has decided to learn urdu to talk with her parents.
