Lockdown 2.0: Kerala woman travels 2,700 km to meet her ailing son

A woman from Kottayam in Kerala travelled 2700 km to meet her ailing BSF Jawan son in Jodhpur despite lockdown restrictions. State authorities helped the woman to get necessary passes to travel across six states of the country. VHP organisation arranged cabs and two taxi drivers free of cost to assist the woman and her relatives.

Kottayam(Kerala): A 50-year-old woman travelled 2,700 km in a car crisscrossing six states to meet her critically ill son, a BSF jawan in Jodhpur, despite strict lockdown restrictions due to COVID-19.

The woman was accompanied by her daughter-in-law and another relative during the journey, which they covered in 3 days.

Speaking to media persons, Sheelamma Vasan said the health condition of her son, Arun Kumar (29), who was suffering from myositis, (inflammation of muscles), was improving.

"Due to God's grace we have reached here without any problems anywhere", she said. The family was informed by a Malayali doctor at AIIMS in Jodhpur about Arun Kumar's condition following which they decided to undertake the journey from Kerala through Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat to reach Rajasthan.

Union Minister V Muraleedharan, the office of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress leader, Oommen Chandy helped the family to get necessary passes for the travel across the states. Volunteers of Hindu helpline, a VHP organisation, helped in arranging a cab and two taxi drivers free of cost to take them to Jodhpur.

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After getting necessary passes arranged by Kottayam District Collector P K Sudheer Babu, Sheelaamma accompanied by her daughter-in-law Parvathyand another relative set off on the journey from Panackachira village in Koruthodu panchayat in Kottayam on April 11and reached Jodhpur on 14th, 'Vishu'(Malayalam new year).

The jawan, who had come to his village in February end on leave and days after his return had fallen ill, had expressed desire to meet his mother and wife. Arun Kumar's one-year-old child is in Kerala.

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The mother's journey comes close on the heels of another woman who rode 1400 km on her two-wheeler from Telangana to bring back her son stuck in Andhra Pradesh. The Burqa-clad mom, Razia Sultana, a school teacher from Bodhan town in Telangana undertook the journey on her scooter and brought her son, a student from Rehmatabadin Andhra Pradesh.

(PTI report)