Kolkata: Cops, Behala locals come together to help out-of-job rickshaw puller

KOLKATA: A 24-year-old rickshaw puller, who was forced out of his house near Behala Chowrasta after being unable to pay his rent, and spent the last six days in his rickshaw along with his wife, three-year-old daughter and an eight-month-old son, even in pouring rain, received help and was offered rehabilitation by the Parnasree police and several of his acquintances spread across Behala, Joka and Pailan.
This was after the man was detained and questioned by police after fake complaints and rumours that he was trying to sell off his son for Rs 5,000.
The rickshaw puller, Bappa Jana, and his wife Poonam said they had run out of all their saving during the pandemic. “Unable to feed the baby, the two had gone out six days ago along with the children to arrange for his food. When they came back, they found the house had been locked by the owner. With only the rickshaw left as their last hope, the couple decided to spend their days out in the open. It was a couple of days ago that Bappa met his old acquintance Debu Mondal, who offered to help them, though he, too, was not financially well off. Under such circumstances, some people on Friday questioned how Mondal managed brought the two children home and rumour spread that Bappa had sold them,” said an officer.
Bappa’s wife Poonam said: “We have been on the road for five nights. My daughter and me are eating whatever the people on the road have offered us. But what do I feed the baby? I came here to Bankim Colony to keep the baby because I could not feed him. And how will my husband pick up passengers if we stay in the rickshaw?”
“We then told them that we will arrange for a shelter and ensure good care of their children. We also traced their relatives, who offered to take them back to Pailan. We are trying to find out who spread the rumours,” said a police officer.