Odisha labourer, who cycled from Maharashtra to Jajpur, discharged after quarantine

Odisha migrant worker who rode a bicycle from Sangli in Maharashtra to his native place Jajpur in Odisha has been released after quarantine.

Jajpur (Odisha): Mahesh Jena, a 20-year-old migrant worker, who rode a bicycle for around 1700 km from Sangli, Maharashtra to his native place Jajpur in Odisha has been released after completing his quarantine.

"I was an employee in a company in Maharashtra where I would earn about Rs 8000 per month. However, since the lockdown was imposed I did not receive my salary and fell short of food. It was then that I decided to go to my native place in Odisha," Jena told media.

Recollecting his arduous journey, he said, "I borrowed Rs 3000 from my friend and started from Sangli on April 1. During my journey, there were days when I couldn't get any food and on some days I could eat at some roadside dhabas. My bicycle even got punctured in Hyderabad. After facing so many problems I was finally able to reach Jajpur on April 7."

"After reaching the Jajpur border I surrendered to medical staff," he added.

He said he was able to complete his journey in seven days as he cycled and covered about 14-15 hours every day.

"During the night I would have to search for safe places like temples to sleep," Jena recounted."I was at times stopped by the police stationed at states' borders but whenever I told them that I was coming from Maharashtra and was on way to Odisha they would let me go. Maybe they thought that I was joking," he said.

The nationwide lockdown had been announced on March 24 and then the again it was re-imposed from April 24.

During the lockdown, several states have seen migrant labourers undertaking torturous journey to reach their native places even though the state governments had made arrangements for their stay and food.

ANI

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