A girl child, around the age 8 or 9 years, was found by a forest patrol officer, in the month of January, in the Katarniyaghat Wildlife Sanctuary. She was with a group of monkeys, when they found her. She was wearing underwear and her hair was messy and there were wound all over her. Including this, she also behaved like monkeys, eating her food from the floor, using both hands and legs to walk, screeching as a way to communicate.
When the forest patrol tried to save her, she was guarded by the group of monkeys and she was also scared of the humans. The information regarding her presence was reported by a group of villagers who were roaming in the Motipur range. It is reported that, when the forest patrol tried to save her, they were chased by the monkey troops.
However, she was rescued and brought to the district hospital in Bahraich. Initially, she was scared to let anyone come near her, since she finds this as a new environment. In the hospital, her wounds were treated and they are teaching her hand signals. It has been reported that, she is responding well to the treatment and adjusting quickly to the new environment. Sometimes, she walks around the ward using both her hands and legs.
As the result of treatment, she has returned to good health. At present, she is able to understand the hand signals done by ward boy, nurse or other medical staff.
Real Story behind ‘Girl Mowgli’:
Some new sources states that, the girl was left intentionally in the jungle by her parent, since the girl has a special condition. She is a gifted child and have disabilities both physically and mentally. It is stated that, her parents not willing to take care of a ‘Gifted Girl Child’ and to spend money on her for treatments, chose to leave her behind in the forest area.
Divisional Forest Officer Gyan Praksh Singh also reported that, ‘It is not possible for a girl to live in the forest for years, without being spotted by forest officers or hundred of security cameras. She has not even been noted in the animal census taken frequently. So the officers have come to a conclusion that she was left behind only few days before by her folks.
And also, Sarbajeet Yadav, the head constable who was in the rescue team stated that, ‘She was found near Khapda forest region and they also did not find any monkeys near her. She was alone and she voluntarily refused to come with them. However, due to hunger and cold environment, she came to them. Doctors who treats her believes that she is need of ‘Psychiatric Evaluation and Treatment’.
At present, she has been named as ‘Van Durga’, named after a forest Goddess. Chief Medical Superintendent DK Singh believes that the girl saw a group of monkeys and started acting like them. Involvement, with other children of her own age group can restore her behaviour like us. Currently, enquiry is going on in order to find her birth parents.