London-returned Punekar priest infects the needy with basic necessities

PUNE It has been a terrifying one year for Sagar Shukla, a Punekar, who has been residing in London for the last 10 years

PUNE It has been a terrifying one year for Sagar Shukla, a Punekar, who has been residing in London for the last 10 years.

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Shukla is a trained Hindu priest, and works part-time in the back office of the London police.

Shukla has returned to Pune to help to in this time of Covid-19, and he has by providing those in need with two months of ration, and he has donated vegetables and fruits to visually and physically challenged girls in a hostel on Wednesday.

“Last year, in February, Covid cases started increasing all around London. Suddenly the daily death count started going up. It was the toughest time of my life. I used to do on an average of four to five final rites of Hindus in London, who died due to Covid. As I was working on the frontline and also with the London police, I had a pass to go out for work,” said 35-year-old Shukla.

Shukla is an ex-student of S P College in Pune, and went to London in 2007 to study business management.

“I was eagerly waiting to come back to India, but due to Covid restrictions I was not able to get flight tickets. Finally, last week, I managed to fly in and the first thing I decided to do was help the needy. Some of my friends back in London, and myself, we contributed and donated rations, vegetable and fruits to an organisation working for the visually and physically challenged girls,” added Shukla.

The organisation he helped is the Saiguru Seva Sanstha based in Narhe Ambegaon.

Sachin Jamage, founder and president of the Vande Mataram organisation, that aided Shukla’s endeavour, said, “He contacted us desiring to help the needy. Accordingly, we contacted this hostel.”