Missing priest from Kumbh Mela back with family

Chikkamagaluru: Narasimhamurthy, a priest from Tangali village in Chikkamagaluru’s Kadur taluk, has safely returned home after being missing for six months. The priest had vanished during the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, in January 2025, sparking a desperate search by his family.

He had attended the massive religious festival with his son Badarinath and other family members. On January 28, amidst the chaotic crowds at the event, he became separated from his group and could not be located. Badarinath conducted exhaustive searches in Prayagraj for days without success. Even a subsequent trip back to the city yielded no clues, leaving the family in distress.

After months of uncertainty, Narasimhamurthy was discovered in Mumbai, where he had been taken in by the Sharada Rehabilitation Centre.

The centre provided care and support, ultimately facilitating his emotional reunion with his family. The priest, who serves at the Channakeshava Swamy temple in Tangali, was welcomed back with overwhelming joy and relief by his loved ones and the village community.