In a heartwarming saga, Geeta, the deaf-mute Indian woman living in Pakistan after accidentally crossing the border over a decade ago, arrived at Delhi airport on PIA flight on Monday.
Geeta arrived from Karachi by Pakistan International Airlines Flight 272 at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi at around 10:20 am.
Geeta was reportedly just 7 or 8 years old when she was found sitting alone on the Samjhauta Express by the Pakistan Rangers 15 years ago at the Lahore railway station.
23-year-old Geeta was adopted by the Edhi Foundation's Bilquees Edhi and lives with her in Karachi.
Geeta has identified her father, step-mother and siblings from a photograph sent to her by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. The family reportedly lives in Bihar.
Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, T C A Raghavan, and his wife had visited Geeta in August after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj directed him to meet her and try to locate her family.
The Indian High Commission had on Sunday said that Geeta, a deaf and mute Indian woman who had crossed over to Pakistan accidently 15 years back, would be handed over to her family only if their DNA test matched. She is set to arrive in New Delhi on Monday.
"If the DNA test of the family (who claims to be Geeta's family) matches with Geeta's DNA, she will be handed over to them. If the DNA test does not match then, Geeta will be taken care by a good organisation till she meets her family," the second secretary of the Indian High Commission in Pakistan, PK Jain told the media.
Senior Diplomats of Pakistan High Commission received her on arrival at Indira Gandhi International airport.
Meanwhile, Janardhan Mahato, who has been identified by Geeta as her father, expressed confidence that he will pass the DNA test for sure.
"They can take a DNA test or whatever they want. I am not running anywhere. I will pass the DNA test," Mahato said.
He added that he was extremely happy now that Geeta would be returning soon.
On Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that Geeta would be handed over to the true family in India only after the DNA tests.
