Month on, stranded J&K residents await ‘home’ run

Shariq Majeed | TNN | Apr 24, 2020, 07:18 IST

Ludhiana: With the government continuing curfew in Punjab to contain the spread of coronavirus, several Jammu and Kashmir residents, including members of the nomad community, have been stranded in Ludhiana with little means to fend for themselves.
There are more than 75 stranded residents from Jammu and Kashmir who have sought help.
One of them is Muhammad Hassan, a villager of Khokhran Takhran village in Machhiwara. According to Hassan, he knows about 26 persons from J&K who are stuck in the area. He said 13 are putting up at Khokran Takhran village, six at Garhi village, three at Ranwa village, two at Bhatiyan village and one at Powat village.
“Whereas others had come to Machhiwara in the winters, 13 persons had come from Gandoh in Doda district to attend the marriage of my daughter, held on March 23, in the district. As the baraat, which was supposed to come from Solan, couldn’t come due to the lockdown, my guests got stuck here. I have written to the Doda deputy commissioner to help us, but till now nothing has happened. Since my transport business is shut nowadays, it has become difficult for us as we are running out of money,” said Hassan.
He said even as he had got names of the guests recorded with the sarpanch of the village for some help, but they are haven’t got the same. People in other villages are helping needy persons with ration.
“I had come here for my wife Hashima’s eye operation, leaving our six sons and three daughters at home in Gandoh. We are worried about our children as to how would be surviving in such challenging times. When we talk to them, they start crying and want us to return soon. But as of now, we are helpless as we have no permission to travel,” said 49-year-old Abdul Kareem.
Zainab Khatoon, who along with her two daughters and son had come to the marriage, is in similar dilemma.
“We had come to marriage of my niece, leaving my husband Muhammad Iqbal at home. But now it’s more than a month that we are stuck here. My husband is worried about us, but he cannot facilitate our return,” said Zainab.
Besides Macchiwara, people from J&K are stuck in Raikot area as well.
Muhammad Maqbool Malik, a 55-year-old resident of Liderwan in Kupwara who had come to Raikot to sell shawls, said he is stuck here for more than a month. His family — his wife and three children — are worried about his return.
“We went to DSP Raikot’s office where they made a list of our names and assured us that whenever the J&K border will open, they will inform us and facilitate our travel. It is hard to survive here as it is quite hot and we have almost exhausted our money that we earned by selling shawls. We want to fast during Ramzan at our native place and request the governments to help us reach our homes,” Malik said. He said in Raikot and Jagraon alone, there are around 50 persons from J&K who are stuck.
In a video message on Wednesday, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh had said every outsider who is stuck in Punjab due to the lockdown will be taken care of like any other Punjabi in the state.
DSP Raikot Sukhnaz Singh said 30 such persons had come to meet him after there was rumour that the border between Punjab and J&K had been opened. “We have got a list of such persons and have forwarded the same to the SDM Raikot. We provided them ration and asked them to stay here till the border opens,” said the officer.