THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The timely intervention of a woman journalist has helped 45-year-old Prakash, a labourer hailing from Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, who was abandoned by his colleagues near Kazhakkoottam a few days ago, find a way to reach his home.
Prakash had been going through a harrowing time ever since he was ditched by his colleagues till he was met by a vernacular journalist, Ancy, on Wednesday night at Kaniyapuram.
On Thursday, the police officers of Mangalapuram sent him back to his city in a train spending money from their own pocket.
According to Prakash, he had recently secured a job as a cleaner in an interstate goods truck that set out from Vijayawada a week ago.
The other two staff, including a driver and a cleaner, hailed from Punjab.
Since, Prakash did not have sufficient money to buy his own food, the other two men cleverly abandoned him after stopping for food near Kazhakkoottam five days ago.
He did not have the courage to go to the police for help.
Language barrier prevented him from asking for help from the local people too.
Thus, he had to spend the days suffering from starvation.
That was when he met Ancy, who was returning after duty on Wednesday night.
Since he did not appear like a destitute, she took sympathy on him and took him to the Mangalapuram police station.
There, one of the officers, who had experience in working in Andhra Pradesh, talked to him in Hindi and broken Telugu and took his personal details.
On Thursday morning, they contacted his family and verified the information he had given.
“Then we contacted our colleagues in the government railway police wing and requested them to book a ticket to Andhra Pradesh.
Since Prakash did not have his identity card with him, I produced my ID card before the railway staff to book the ticket,” said Mangalapuram station house officer inspector Tomson K P.
The officers also gave some money to Prakash as travel expenses.
Ancy, who works as a news anchor in a prominent vernacular channel, had also reached Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station in the morning to see off Prakash.