The world’s largest single-country lockdown of India announced on 24^th March 2020 has effectively kept 1.3 billion people at home barring essential trips to places like markets or pharmacies. Non-essential businesses have been completely shut down. Unfortunately, it has turned into a humanitarian crisis for India’s improvised workforce. However, this posed a grave challenge to the migrants. As a result of complete lockdown, the vulnerable population has been facing difficulties in securing food and shelter and is also exposed to the risk of getting affected by COVID-19 and transmitting it to rural areas. The use of violence by law enforcement agencies on those found on the streets puts the safety of migrants at stake.

Due to loss of livelihood and a prevailing sense of insecurity, scores of migrants working in the informal and construction sector have begun their homeward journey, primarily from urban centers across the country to rural hinterland on foot. Passenger transport services have come to a halt, as road, rail, and air travel has been prohibited. With modes of public transport shut and taxis are unaffordable for many, walking was the only option. With the looming fear of hunger, men, women, and children were forced to begin arduous journeys back to their villages – cycling or hitching rides on tempos, lorries, water tankers, and milk vans. This unprecedented reverse exodus is about returning to the reassuring contours of the familiar, the home in the village they left behind. Some traveled for a few hundred kilometers, while others covered more than a thousand to go home. This exodus brought back the disturbing memories of 1947. The culmination of  British colonial rule saw the partition of subcontinent splitting between Hindu-majority India and mostly Muslim Pakistan and the subsequent exodus.

The arduous experience of 23 Tamil migrants worked in Nagpur and returned as withered plants are appalling. They were between the 22-26 age group. Out of money and options, the migrants decided to go back to their native villages in different districts of Tamil Nadu state.  Desperate and exhausted, they decided to undertake the 1,500-km plus long journey.

Sathya Stephen (23) from Trichy district in Tamil Nadu is a Catering diploma holder. He could not secure a decent job of his liking. His interest in organic farming and products pushed him to take up a job in a firm called “Glaze Trading India Private Limited” dealing with Natural Products located at Nagpur. He was leading a team of 40 persons in one of the firm’s 250 branches named Maurya Enterprises. All the 40 persons were from Tamil Nadu undergoing course as 2 different batches.

Soon after the lockdown was announced, Sathya arranged for 17 senior batch trainees to reach Tamil Nadu by sending them in a truck proceeding to Salem. He thought they could manage the situation with their proficiency in Hindi.

He decided to escort the 23 new trainees as they did not know Hindi. At 5 O’ clock on the evening of 31^st  March, they set out on their foot to reach Tamil Nadu with the help of Google map. On the way, near the state border, Maharashtra Police warned them that while crossing the State border with Telangana, they would be arrested at the check post and hence advised to take a short cut walking through a shallow lake.

Sathya recalls that all of them were walking 4 KM in the 2 ft depth lake water and reached Telengana in the wee hours of 1^st April covering 160 KM. They could get a lift in a truck and traveled up to a place 15 KM before Secunderabad. There they were caught by police and detained in a hall along with 200 other detainees.  The same night, not able to bear the ordeal, one member of the team, Lokesh (24) died of a heart attack in the camp and it became a legal issue. This news was flashed in all the media.  Then these students were kept in detention for nearly 45 days by Hyderabad district administration. Once it was proved with evidence that the death was natural, these migrants were freed. “We had only one set of clothes and our camp had only 2 toilets for 200 occupants. The food provided was of low quality and when we voiced these issues and requested basic assistance, we were thoroughly beaten up” recalls Sathya with agony in his voice while narrating the incidents with Dr. John Arokiaraj, Caritas India Manager and Fr.Albert Thambidurai, Director of TASOSS – Regional Forum.

Fr. Xavier, an SVD  priest played the role of good Samaritan. With the help of the local MLA, he got necessary permission from the State and arranged a special bus to reach Chennai paying Rs.96,000/-. On 6^th   May, at night 10.30, they reached Chennai St. Thomas Mount. But could not get accommodation in the promised place. It was brought to the notice of CRI and they informed Fr.Albert. He in turn co-ordinated with the Vicar General of Chengalpattu Msgr. Backiaya Regis arranged accommodation and food at St. Patrick’s Church, St.Thomas Mount. With compassion, Fr.Shylock Stephen, the Parish Priest happily helped them. The local police and district administration were informed. They took all the needed efforts to send them to their native places.  The local Tahsildar submitted the file on this matter to the Collector. Online application submitted to get e- pass as per the advice of the Collector.

The official identity details of all the travelers were collected by Parish Priest and sent to Fr.Albert and the team and they in turn kept on e-filing. e-Passes were received on 9^th May.  3 buses were engaged; the first one leaving for Coimbatore, the second to Trichy, and the third one to Kanyakumari enabling the migrants to leave back to their native places in 3 batches on 9^th and 10^th of May. On the way, they were treated with good food by the Perambalur Social Service Society (PSSS). Thanks to Fr.Xavier, Director of PSSS.  At Trichy, TASOSS greeted the migrant victims with good hospitality. It was an unforgettable emotional moment for the migrants to thank the Director of TASOSS Fr.Albert Thambidurai and Fr. Arockiasamy, Deputy Director.

But for the co-ordination of Fr.Xavier with Secunderabad  MLA, District Administration, and TASOSS, TASOSS’ co-ordination with Chengalpattu Diocese, CRDS, PSSS and CRI, Chengalpattu Diocese’s co-ordination with the Parish Priest of St.Patrick’s Church– Fr.Shylock, police department and District administration and the internal co-ordination mechanism of TASOSS, the migrants would be still wondering when they would reach their homes to be with their families.