The ongoing situation across the nation is harsh and difficult. Migrant workers being the most hit by this situation, they are walking miles to reach their homes and be with their families. The desperation to meet the family during a crisis can make people to go to any extend.
A 15-year-old Jyoti, cycled almost 1,200 kilometres to get her injured father from Delhi to Darbhanga, Bihar. This lion-hearted decision was taken by Jyoti when she was left with no option but to cycle to reach her home.
This father-daughter duo started their journey on May 10, when they were unable to pay Rs 6000 bus rent to take them home. They both completed their journey on May 16 and reached Darbhanga.
She said, “I did not feel very scared even while cycling at night as we used to see hundreds of migrants walking on the highways. Our only concern was road accidents, which fortunately we did not face.
She added, “My father used to drive an e-rickshaw in Delhi. But he became unemployed because he had to surrender the rickshaw to its owner after the lockdown. And he also suffered a leg injury.”
Pregnant migrant woman gives birth while walking home from Delhi to Bihar
Jyoti said, “We did not have much money and the landlord pressured my father either to pay or vacate the room. No one was there to help us so we decided to return to our village. We talked to a truck driver, who demanded Rs 6,000 for bringing us from Delhi to Darbhanga, but we could not afford to pay the money. Finally, I asked my father to pillion ride on the bicycle bought with Rs 500 and we started for Darbhanga.”
Jyoti and her father only had Rs 600 when they left Delhi. The girl used to cycle day and night and took a break of 2-3 hours at petrol pumps during the night hours. They mostly ate food at relief camps and those offered by some good Samaritans on the way.
They were quarantined at the village library after they reached their hometown. The villagers also provided them both with food and they were screened and quarantined at Government Middle School, Sirhulli. Since Jyoti was the only female at the quarantine centre, she was advised to isolate herself from home.
Mukesh Paswan, brother-in-law of Jyoti, says, “We were surprised to know Jyoti cycled back from Delhi with her father as pillion.”
