Walking home: Who they are, why they are leaving

SURAJ PRAJAPATI works as a helfer in glass firm.

SURAJ PRAJAPATI, 26
Family members: 4
Profession: Helfer in glass firm
Earning: Rs 300 a day; Headed towards: Gorakhpur, UP

Why he left: “Company owner told me go to the village till the situation is normal, the owner has arranged a tempo to drop me to Gorakhpur.”

ALI ASGAR is a ruck driver.

ALI ASGAR, 32
Family members: 5
Profession: Truck driver
Earning: Rs 600 a day; Headed towards: Lucknow, UP

Why he left: “The country was totally shut and no jobs were available in the market, so when I got a chance to drive a tempo to Lucknow, I left.”

RAMBRIJ CHAUDHARY works as a helfer.

RAMBRIJ CHAUDHARY, 38
Family members: 4
Profession: Helfer
Earning: Rs 450 a day; Headed towards: Gonda, UP

Why he left: “Since the hotels were shut, even though I had  money, I couldn’t get proper food to eat and no place to sleep. So, I left for Gonda from Bhiwandi.”

SHESH NARAYAN YADAV is a oil loader.

SHESH NARAYAN YADAV, 30
Family members: 4
Profession: Oil loader
Earning: Rs 400 a day; Headed towards: Kadipur, UP

Why he left: “I was working as an oil loader at the main branch of HPCL-Diesel. Even though oil loading was on, I was unable to travel from Vasai to the oil loading branch.”

PREMCHAND YADAV is a driver.

PREMCHAND YADAV, 50
Family members: 4
Profession: Driver
Earning: Rs 600 a day; Headed towards: Kadipur, UP

Why he left: “I used to drive tempos and cars. But since lockdown, tempo owners are not giving rent, and car owners are not going out, so I was left with no choice but to go back home.”

RAJKUMAR CHAUHAN has a bhangar shop.

RAJKUMAR CHAUHAN, 39
Family members: 25
Profession: Has a bhangar shop
Earning: Rs 700 a day; Headed towards: Gonda, UP

Why he left: “I have a bhangar shop but since the lockdown, it has been shut and I had no choice but to drop some family members to my native place.”

SARAFAT ALI is an attendant to truck driver.

SARAFAT ALI, 29
Family members: 2
Profession: Attendant to truck driver
Earning: Rs 400 a day; Headed towards: Bhadohi, UP

Why he left: “I was working as an attendant to a truck driver, but did not get work or money since the lockdown.”
Reporting: neeraj tiwari, photos: prashant nadkar