A retired Army personnel from Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh has announced a reward of ₹21,000 for anyone who helps locate and return his missing pet parakeet, Gopi. The emotional appeal by the former soldier has gained widespread attention on social media, with people sharing messages and posters in an effort to reunite the bird with its family.
The retired Army man, Chandan Mishra, a resident of Sohagpur near the Banganga Mela ground under Sohagpur police station area, shared a video message expressing his distress after his pet parakeet flew away on Saturday afternoon.
Initially, the family had announced a reward of ₹11,000 for information leading to Gopi’s return. However, as the search continued without success, the reward amount was increased to ₹21,000 in the hope of encouraging more people to help locate the missing bird.
Mishra said he had brought the young parakeet from Amarkantak in neighbouring Anuppur district about a year ago. Over time, the bird became an inseparable part of the family and developed a close bond with all members.
Affectionately called Gopi and Mitthu, the green-coloured parakeet is known for its friendly behaviour and ability to imitate human voices. The family said the bird can speak a few words and recognise the voices of family members, making its disappearance especially painful for them.
The family has shared details about the bird’s appearance through posters circulated on social media to help people identify it. The parakeet has a black ring around its neck and distinctive markings on its back, which the family hopes will help someone spot and return it.
According to the family, the bird flew away while younger members were playing with it on Saturday. They waited for it to return on its own but when Gopi did not come back by evening, they began an extensive search across nearby rooftops, trees and surrounding areas.
Despite repeated efforts, the family could not locate the parakeet. Mishra, visibly emotional, appealed to people in the area to help find Gopi and announced that he would observe a fast until the bird returns safely.
The family has also approached a local priest and plans to conduct a special havan-pujan ceremony, hoping for the safe return of their beloved pet.
The unusual reward announcement and the former soldier’s emotional attachment to the parakeet have attracted considerable attention online. Many social media users have shared the appeal, expressing hope that the search efforts will help reunite Gopi with the family that cared for it for the past year.
The incident has highlighted the deep emotional bonds that people often share with their pets and the lengths to which owners go to bring them back home.
