KOCHI: Summer holidays are indeed a time of fun. Sadly, that wasn’t the case for 15-year-old Avantika C J, who hails from Palarivattom. On April 28, her bicycle, a cherished gift from her father, was stolen.
However, June brought a heartwarming turn of events as Education Minister V Sivankutty, responding to the youngster’s email about the theft, gifted her a new bicycle on Sunday.
Recounting the events leading up to the joyous moment, Avantika said, “A thief had climbed over the gate of our rented house and took off with my bicycle. The entire incident was captured on the CCTVs near our home.” Armed with footage, she promptly went to the Palarivattom police station to lodge a complaint, hoping the police could recover her bicycle.
“The CCTV footage was very clear and showed the thief’s face. It was evident that the person was not a Malayali and that he had experience,” said Avantika.
The police assured her they would investigate and find the thief, but the teenager was not content with mere assurances. Determined to ensure action, she emailed the Education Minister from the police station itself.
“I wanted to be taken seriously. All I thought was that if the minister told them to look into the matter, they would be prompt and on their toes. Also, I had read about ministers responding to children’s letters and taking action,” she said. Her faith was rewarded when Sivankutty called her personally.
The surprises continued when Sivankutty informed her on Friday that he would be gifting her a new bicycle to replace the stolen one. This was fulfilled on Sunday. Now, the teenager is looking forward to making memories on her brand-new bicycle.