Ever since the news of nation-wide lockdown was announced and the same was implemented on every part of the country, thousands of labours started migrating from their workplaces to their hometowns.
The desperation of not having anything to eat, a shelter or a source of income, in this unprecedented situation of nationwide lockdown, forced the poorer sections of our society out on the roads, as they started their journey back home.
With no means of transport available, people are being seen making the journey on foot – walking several hundred Kilometers to safety.
In a tragic end to one such story, a 12 year old girl who was covering the distance from one place to another with her family – has died due to bodily exhaustion.
Jamalo Madkam – who was working at a Chilly field, before this pandemic, starting the walk from Telangana to Chhattisgarh – accompanied by 13 others like her.
But soon after covering 100 KMs of that distance, the girl died of electrolyte imbalance and exhaustion, only a few kilometers behind the overall distance from her home.
The girl’s family was notified of the same later on Monday, as there were no means of communication in-between, following which her body was sent to a morgue.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel later announced a compensatory sum of Rs 1 lakh for the girl’s family.
RIP Jamalo Madkam. Let us reach out to the marginalised sections of our society in these desperate times of need.
We’re all together in this.