Poverty drives elderly man to walk 40 kms to file complaint

A 50-year-old man travelled 40 kms in two days to file a complaint at a nearby police station about his family issues as he was unable to afford travel fare.

Korba (Chhattisgarh): Unable to afford the travel fare to a nearby police station, a 50-year-old man, belonging to the Pahadi Korwa tribe, covered a distance of 40 kilometres in two days, to reach the facility and lodge a complaint in Chhattisgarh's Korba district.

Buttu Ram, hailing from Karmzariya village, wanted to lodge a complaint about his family issues and had travelled the distance to register a complaint.

According to sources, Ram had been living alone, for the past two years, as his wife had reportedly eloped with another man and took away their children with her.

Upon reaching the police station, Ram requested the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ramgopal Kariyare to make efforts to get his children back.

Moved by his plight, Kariyare offered money to return home and registered the complaint.

Although the DSP helped the elderly man on humanitarian grounds, the question which arises here is the effectiveness of the money being spent on the tribal welfare that they are not able to avail the basic facilities.

The issues faced by 'Adivasis' in India are usually under-reported and is mired in stereotypes with utmost neglect.