Sara Kothaiah carrying the body of his son to his hill-top hamlet of Chinna Konela in ASR district on Wednesday.
A tribal man from the Chinna Konela hilltop hamlet, of Anantagiri mandal in the ASR district, had to carry the body of his two-and-a-half-year-old son, who died at a private hospital, on his shoulders for 8 km to reach his village.
Sara Kothaiah’s second child Eswara Rao turned ill on April 8 and was taken to a private clinic, where he died after reportedly being administered an injection.
Mr. Kothaiah and his wife Sita went to Kollur in Guntur district to work in a brick-making unit, two months ago. They have two children.
After Eswara Rao died in the hospital, the brick unit management arranged an ambulance to take the couple, and the body of their kid on April 9 evening. The ambulance driver dropped them at Vanija village of Mentada mandal in the Vizianagaram district, around 2 a.m. on April 10 and left.
Having no other option, the couple stayed at a shelter in the village till daybreak and started trekking up the two hills, from around 5 a.m. to reach their village. Mr. Kothaiah had to carry the body of his son, on his shoulder, as they trekked up the hills. They reached the hilltop around 8 a.m. and later performed the last rites of their son.
Speaking to The Hindu, CPI-M district secretariat member K. Govinda Rao said the lack of amenities and employment opportunities forced tribal people to migrate to various places in search of work. “The contractors send their men to scout for labour to work at construction sites, brick kilns and other sectors. They pay them a lump sum amount as advance to work for a fixed period. The tribal people return home on completion of the contract,” Mr. Rao said.
“Though there is a round-about route with a road to reach the hilltop village, the contractors usually avoid it and drop the tribal people at Vanija village, as this will save about 40 km,” he added.
Konaparthi Simhachalam of China Konela and CPI-M Anantagiri mandal secretary S. Nagulu appealed to the government to provide ex gratia to the bereaved family.