Better to die in my ancestral village, says man walking 1,300km with kin

Khan served water to the workers at construction sites, for a living, whereas his wife and daughter lifted bricks and sand.

It is better to die in my native village in Kanpur district, then face death in Vasai, are the words of wheelchair-bound, Dilshad Khan, 54, who along with his wife, Ayesha Begum and teenage daughter, Zahreen, has decided walk 1,300 km to their hometown in Uttar Pradesh. Khan and his family were seen trudging along the highway in the scorching heat, near Chilar Phata, in Boisar.

Dilshad Khan moved to Mumbai in 2000. He worked in a factory as a labourer, but he lost his right leg in an accident. He was then thrown out of the job. (HTPhoto)

Khan served water to the workers at construction sites, for a living, whereas his wife and daughter lifted bricks and sand. “We earn Rs 1,200 per day. But the lockdown has rendered us jobless. We don’t have any money now even to survive,” he said.

Khan moved to Mumbai in 2000. He worked in a factory as a labourer, but he lost his right leg in an accident. He was then thrown out of the job.

On May 3, Khan and his family had applied for e-passes with the help of a friend, but due to technical reasons, his application was rejected. As he did not have the transit passes, the family was unable to board a train to UP from Vasai Road station.

“We even contacted a trucker who agreed to drop us at the Kanpur border, but he charged Rs 5,000 per person. So, we decided to walk instead,” Khan said.

Khan’s wife and daughter take turns in pushing the wheelchair. “It is tough for them, but we have no other alternative,” said Khan.

The family plans to cover the 1,300 km distance in a span of 27 days. They have decided on covering only 50-60 km a day and rest under the shades of trees or in musafir khana (transit homes) if we are allowed entry.

“I just pray that the wheelchair does not fail me. It has been loyal to me since the past 15 years. It would be difficult to get a spare part on the way, as all shops are shut. I want to die in my village. At least there I will get a decent burial in the presence of my relatives,” said Khan.