Vinod Jangid, who hails from Rajasthan, donates ₹5,000 to the relief fund.

In a touching gesture, a migrant worker from Kasaragod donated ₹5,000 to the Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund on Wednesday to aid the State in the fight against coronavirus pandemic.

Vinod Jangid, a tile worker at Kuttapunna, handed over his contribution to the police personnel at the Neeleswaram police station on Wednesday evening. Originally from Bharatpur district in Rajasthan, Mr. Vinod has been living in Kasaragod for over a decade. He resides in a rented house with his wife and two-year-old daughter.

Mr. Vinod said that he chose to hand over the money to police since he felt that it was the most trustworthy route to ensure that the money reached where it was intended. “I am also part of this land now. Earlier too I used to contribute for local programmes during festivals like Onam,” he said.

When news reached him that his friends back in Bharatpur were contributing to the efforts to fight the pandemic there, he felt that it was only fitting that he made a similar gesture towards the State, which has been his home for all practical purposes.

Mr. Vinod said that he was happy with what the government is doing for the well-being of migrant workers during this crisis which has deprived them of work for over a fortnight now. They have enough provisions and the local body authorities were checking on them regularly to ensure that they never run short of it, he said.

“This place has been good to us and we would love to continue living here,” Mr. Vinod said.