In a surprising turn of events, Farzeen Gafoor, a 28-year-old nursing assistant at the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in Pune, has returned home after being missing for 24 days. He was found late Saturday night standing alone near his residence in Guruvayoor, appearing disoriented and unable to recall details about his whereabouts during the past weeks.
Farzeen’s father, Gafoor, had recently returned from Muscat after learning of his son’s disappearance. He was the first to spot Farzeen near the roadside, where he noticed him dressed in casual attire, but without any belongings or identification. “When I called out to him, he recognized me but didn’t remember anything about the last few weeks,” Gafoor recounted, describing a bewildered and distressed son.
Farzeen had vanished while en route to Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, for a three-month training program at the Military Hospital. He departed from Pune on July 9 and took a train from Mumbai the next day. His last communication was a phone call to his wife, Zareena, where he mentioned feeling tired and intending to take a rest. The following morning, his phone was briefly detected near Izzatnagar railway station before it went silent.
Upon his return, Farzeen seemed to be physically unharmed, yet his mental state raised concern. His father noted that he was not communicating coherently, often giving disconnected responses. A medical professional has prescribed medication for him, and the family is contemplating an evaluation at a military hospital to better understand his condition.
In the days leading up to his return, the family had filed a missing person report with the Guruvayoor police, invoking Section 57 of the Kerala Police Act, 2011. The case was subsequently transferred to the Izzatnagar police in Uttar Pradesh for further investigation. Authorities have now been notified of Farzeen’s return and will supervise any necessary legal procedures moving forward.
Farzeen has been a member of the Army for five years while simultaneously pursuing a degree in Biochemistry. He is married to Zareena, a dietitian, who is six months pregnant. The family remains in a state of shock but holds hope that a comprehensive medical evaluation will provide answers regarding the circumstances surrounding Farzeen’s mysterious disappearance.
