Daya Ram, who was repatriated from Pakistan to India on September 12, 2005, and admitted to the mental hospital in Amritsar, has now started to recognise his family members, Hospital Director said on Monday.

Vidya Sagar Mental Hospital Director, Dr B L Goel told PTI that Ram had recovered from his mental illness up to the appreciable extent. "Now he recognises his family members and the days he had spent in the Kotlakhpat Rai Jail in Pakistan."

Ram was repatriated from Pakistan to India on September 12 last year along with 148 Indian prisoners. After the admission of Ram in Mental Hospital, a situation developed when two different families - one from Sonepat in Haryana and another from Gorkhpur in Uttar Pardesh - landed in the hospital with each claiming that Ram was a member of their family.

"Now the situation has changed altogether with the recovery of mental illness of Daya Ram. Moreover, the family from Sonepat of Haryana staking claim for Ram has withdrawn its claim when he recognized his family members hailing from Gorkhpur," said Dr Goel.