GUWAHATI: The COVID-19 pandemic is sure to spawn many a marathoner when it ends.
In Assam, a 25-year-old woman, carrying her 18-month-old son, walked for over 100 km until she was rescued by the police.
On March 24, Anjana Gogoi, who is a widow, had set out from the house of her in-laws at Sarupathar in Golaghat district of Upper Assam to visit her parental home at Hemlai in Lahing, some 130 km away, in Jorhat district.
She walked for eight long days, receiving help from villagers along the way. Finally, when she reached Mariani in Jorhat district after covering a distance of over 100 km amidst the lockdown, she was rescued by the police who offered her relief by providing food before dropping her home.
Inspector Tilak Bora, the officer-in-charge of Mariani police station, told The New Indian Express that they were informed of the woman by some people.
“When the public informed us of the woman yesterday (Wednesday), I sent a team and it rescued her from Natunmati area on the outskirts of the rail township,” he said.
He said as soon as the woman and her kid arrived, their health checkup was done. Later, they were provided with food and dropped home in a vehicle.
“She lost her husband a year and a half ago. She said she was given food and shelter by people on the way. People were kind possibly because she was accompanied by her kid. She said she was not treated well by her in-laws which made her walk the distance. But she shouldn't have come out at this time,” the police officer said.
The woman could not be reached for comments.