As a young boy of around 10, Chotta was separated from his family during the chaos of the Partition and remained in India, while his family, who were Muslim, migrated to Pakistan.
Originally known as Bashir, Chotta's family lived in Ghungali Rajputtan village in Khanana Tehsil of Ludhiana district. He was brought to Libra village by Gulzar Singh, who raised him as his own after losing his son during the Partition.
Mohammed Shakir, a social worker from Libra village who has known Chotta, recalls the traumatic events. "Our elders knew his story and how he was brought to the village, but our generation had no idea until he narrated his story to us in February this year," said Shakir in a phone conversation with this newspaper.
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