<p>An old bicycle and indomitable will to survive ensured that a migrant worker from West Bengal Biplab Das traversed nearly 1800 km from Nagpur to his home state. Trouble started for the 27-year-old construction worker, employed in Nagpur for the last one year, when the nationwide lockdown put him in a situation where he was struggling to get four square meals a day due to abject poverty.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-live-news-updates-total-COVID-19-cases-deaths-India-may-2-lockdown-mumbai-bengaluru-delhi-ahmedabad-kolkata-maharashtra-karnataka-red-orange-zone-832551.html?_ga=2.101108609.1408689961.1588554474-1938130964.1555434743" target="_blank">For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here</a></strong></p>.<p>His employer not only stopped paying him wages but also refused to extend any cooperation. Left with no other option, Das decided to set out for home on foot. After a heated argument with his employer, he set out on a 24-day long journey to Ausgram village in West Bengal's East Bardhaman district that was 1,800 km away.</p>.<p>“I started on foot from Nagpur 24 days back and was able to reach a place somewhere near Bihar,” said Das, unable to recall the exact name of the place. By that time, exhaustion was started to take a toll on him.</p>.<p>Fortunately, for Das, there he came across a relief shelter run by locals. He received a good meal and a days rest. Das told two of the locals about his situation. Upon hearing his plight, they gave hm Rs 500 each. With the cash in hand, Das went to a local bicycle shop and bought a secondhand bicycle.</p>.<p>He rode the rest of the way and reached home last Monday. Aware that he faced the risk of being infected by <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/coronavirus" target="_blank">COVID-19</a> during his long journey Das did not enter his village and was waiting in a nearby area.</p>.<p>“He has been put in a government quarantine centre for 14 days since he came from another state,” said local Block Development Officer Sinjini Sekhar. According to sources in the district administration, Das did not show any symptoms during his initial health check-up and is overall in good physical condition.</p>
<p>An old bicycle and indomitable will to survive ensured that a migrant worker from West Bengal Biplab Das traversed nearly 1800 km from Nagpur to his home state. Trouble started for the 27-year-old construction worker, employed in Nagpur for the last one year, when the nationwide lockdown put him in a situation where he was struggling to get four square meals a day due to abject poverty.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-live-news-updates-total-COVID-19-cases-deaths-India-may-2-lockdown-mumbai-bengaluru-delhi-ahmedabad-kolkata-maharashtra-karnataka-red-orange-zone-832551.html?_ga=2.101108609.1408689961.1588554474-1938130964.1555434743" target="_blank">For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here</a></strong></p>.<p>His employer not only stopped paying him wages but also refused to extend any cooperation. Left with no other option, Das decided to set out for home on foot. After a heated argument with his employer, he set out on a 24-day long journey to Ausgram village in West Bengal's East Bardhaman district that was 1,800 km away.</p>.<p>“I started on foot from Nagpur 24 days back and was able to reach a place somewhere near Bihar,” said Das, unable to recall the exact name of the place. By that time, exhaustion was started to take a toll on him.</p>.<p>Fortunately, for Das, there he came across a relief shelter run by locals. He received a good meal and a days rest. Das told two of the locals about his situation. Upon hearing his plight, they gave hm Rs 500 each. With the cash in hand, Das went to a local bicycle shop and bought a secondhand bicycle.</p>.<p>He rode the rest of the way and reached home last Monday. Aware that he faced the risk of being infected by <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/coronavirus" target="_blank">COVID-19</a> during his long journey Das did not enter his village and was waiting in a nearby area.</p>.<p>“He has been put in a government quarantine centre for 14 days since he came from another state,” said local Block Development Officer Sinjini Sekhar. According to sources in the district administration, Das did not show any symptoms during his initial health check-up and is overall in good physical condition.</p>
