Ramchander Singh, the Congress MLA of Manika in Latehar district of Jharkhand, is being dubbed as the local version of Bollywood actor Sonu Sood, who in recent months has gained popularity for helping migrant workers reach home during the lockdown.
In Jharkhand, Singh has done near identical work by arranging two air tickets for a bereaved primitive tribal family of Netarhat in Latehar district.
Singh said the tickets will help the family of Bahadur Kissan of Sarna Toli to reach a remote area of Pathar Kanni under Assam's Karimganj district. Since the last three days, the mutilated body of Kissan, the sole breadwinner of the family, is awaiting cremation in the state.
The man had met with a road accident, resulting in his death, in Pathar Kanni where he worked as a daily wager. And his family wanted his body to be brought down to Netarhat.
Singh said he spoke to the Deputy Commissioner of Laterhat, Abu Imran, and discussed ways to bring back the body to his home.
“The tribal died some 1,600 kilometers away from Netarhat and his bringing body, which was all crushed and mutilated, by road would have meant a journey of 40 hours or more,” the MLA said.
Understanding the difficult journey, the family then wished to travel to Guwahati, and accordingly, two air tickets were arranged for them.
One of the two travelling to Guwahati, Ram Raju, is an Assamese residing in Netarhat. He is being sent to accompany Abhas, the nephew of the deceased, who is going to perform his last rites.
The MLA praised Imran for his help in enabling him to send the family to Assam.
Bahadur Kissan has no son, but four daughters named Sarita, Sabita, Amita and Amrata, Rekha Devi, an activist said.
While Sarita is the only married daughter, her mother Budhmaniya Devi is an ailing woman, Rekha added.
“This family needs urgent food and pension cover from the Latehar administration,” the activist demanded.
Singh said that the family will reach Guwahati on Friday night, and acknowledged the efforts of some ‘good souls’ who helped in meeting this expenditure.
