Amid migrant attack fears, police officials rescue Jharkhand worker lost in Idukki
IDUKKI: At a time when Kerala is witnessing disturbing incidents of migrant workers being attacked by mobs on mere suspicion sometimes after being labelled thieves or outsiders - one such suspicious stranger walking alone through a forest road in Idukki last week could easily have met a similar fate. He was walking alone on a deserted forest stretch clothes torn, body trembling, and a sack slung over his shoulder. To many, he looked like danger. In truth, Baran Marandi was a hungry, lost husband searching for his family, and one wrong assumption away from disappearing forever. The incident, which occurred on November 11, came to light following a phone call to the Kanjikuzhy police station from Aneesh, a KSRTC bus conductor residing in the area. He reported that an unknown man was roaming around residential pockets of Panamkutty and Pakuthipalam, triggering fear as women and children were alone at home. Based on the information, a police team comprising sub-inspectors Thajudheen and Ajith Kumar, along with senior civil police officer Sheriff P A, rushed to the area and began patrolling. During the search, a local resident informed them that a man carrying a sack on his shoulder was seen walking towards the Pambla dam area and was suspected to be mentally unstable. At the dam site, the police spotted the man, later identified as Baran Marandi, aged around 40. He appeared weak, disoriented and exhausted. The officers immediately gave him food, after which he gradually regained his senses. Speaking to TNIE, SI Thajudheen said, The security guards at the dam told us that they had seen the man wandering a day before and that a sack belonging to him was kept on the side of the road. Apart from speaking Hindi, he could not comprehend Malayalam or any other languages. We tried to communicate with him in Hindi and came to know that he came to Idukki with his wife Miri Soren and three kids one month ago to work at a cardamom plantation at Kadassikadavu in Vandanmedu, he said. Leaving them there, he went to Jharkhand. However, when returning to Idukki, he missed the vehicle he was travelling in at Pambla. Without knowing the language or anyone here, he had been wandering without food for nearly three days, he added. Police found that Baran had not eaten for days and was on the verge of collapse. The sack recovered from the roadside contained a few clothes, garments belonging to his wife and children, his childs Aadhaar card, and a handwritten phone number. Later, the police contacted the number and spoke to Sudha, the employer at the cardamom plantation. She confirmed that the husband of a Jharkhand woman working there had been missing for the past few days. As a KSRTC Kumily bus service passed through the route, the police stopped the vehicle and requested the conductor to drop Baran at Kadassikadavu. The conductor agreed and assured the officers that he would ensure Baran reached safely. Baran was later received by his relatives at Kadassikadavu. The conductor confirmed his safe arrival over the phone and forwarded a photograph of Baran reunited with his wife, bringing relief and closure to the officers who had traced him. Police officials said the team was fortunate to have located him at the dam site, as the road beyond leads deep into forest terrain. Had he walked further, survival would have been uncertain. Wandered 3 days without food According to SI Thajudheen, the worker couldnt understand any language except Hindi. We tried to communicate with him in Hindi and came to know that he came to Idukki with his wife and three kids a month ago to work at a cardamom plantation in Vandanmedu. Leaving them there, he went to Jharkhand. However, when returning to Idukki, he missed the vehicle he was travelling in at Pambla. Without knowing the language or anyone here, he had been wandering without food for nearly 3 days, he said.
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