Naresh Kumar, 26, who suffers from bipolar disorder, had been out of touch with his family since before the Covid-19 pandemic hit the UAE in March 2020. The Himachal Pradesh native was working as a waiter in a cafeteria in Dubai’s Karama since 2018, before his life went into a downward spiral.

Thanks to the combined efforts of the Dubai Police, the Consulate General of India, and social worker Girish Pant, Naresh was finally found in a desolate state on January 2 this year after some Good Samaritans posted videos on social media.

Social workers and diplomatic officers said he reached this unfortunate state of mind after his girlfriend broke up with him last year.

“He couldn’t handle the heartbreak and has been out of touch with his family for nearly nine months. According to his family, he was ready to marry this girl and had brought her to Dubai on a visit visa, hoping to start a life with her,” said social worker and Pravasi Bharatiya Award winner Girish Pant.

How was Naresh found?

Since his parents could not reach him, they began posting appeal videos on social media channels. “On December 29, one of his former colleagues found Naresh near his old workplace and shared a video on social media. He was seen speaking incoherently in the video,” said Pant. Read More…