After losing all hope of finding their 9-year-old son Pradeep who went missing three years ago, they finally met him at the State Children’s Protection Home on Monday.

Six months ago, the Mumbai police had rescued him during a raid and then sent to him to the protection home in Lucknow.

A child helpline service called Childline was informed of Pradeep’s case, who then contacted the district police at Jaunpur to track Pradeep’s family.

“We had a tough time as the name of his village is Sakarmandi Sultanpur and we thought it was Sultanpur district,” said Childline volunteer Varsha. But finally, Pradeep’s family was traced at Jaunpur, who on Monday came to take back their son.

“We still can’t believe that we have found him. We thought him to be dead. From now on, I won’t let him play alone outside,” said Lalmani, as she hugged her son.

For Pradeep though, this journey from Jaunpur to Lucknow spanning three years was nothing less than an adventure.

Three years ago, an unidentified man had taken away Pradeep on the pretext of taking him to school.

But Pradeep, the son of a vegetable vendor, did not return.

“That man brought me to Mumbai and left me on the railway platform,” said Pradeep.

From there, he landed up at a restaurant where he was forced to work without any food.

“I was only given Rs 10 a day and was regularly beaten up by the restaurant owner. I wanted to run away but didn’t know where to go,” he added.