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Walking home: Who they are, why they are leaving

Caravans of men, women and children have started walking from where they live in Delhi and Haryana to their villages, mostly in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh since the announcement of a nationwide lockdown by PM Modi.

Walking home: Who they are, why they are leaving Thousands of men, women and children have started walking from where they live in Delhi and Haryana to their villages. (Express Photo by Amit Mehra)

Since a nationwide lockdown was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, thousands of men, women and children have started walking from where they live in Delhi and Haryana to their villages, mostly in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.

Vijay Kumar, 26

Family members: 8

Profession: Labourer in Noida

Earning: Rs 5,000 a month; Headed towards: Kanpur

Why he left: “My landlord was asking for advance rent, but I had no money. We had to leave to survive.”

Brijmohan singh, 35

Family members: 10

Profession: Carpenter at a private company in Ghaziabad

Earning: Rs 9,000 a month; Headed towards: Hardoi

Why he left: “The company is shut. I used to get by at my house by promising the local grocery story owner that I will pay money later. Now he is refusing to extend credit.”

Amit Kumar, 29

Family members: 4, including a newborn daughter

Profession: Ola cab driver

Earning: Rs 15,000 a month; Headed towards: Gorakhpur

Why he left: “I drove a vehicle on lease, paying Rs 1,000 a day to the owner. Plus, I just had a child. I don’t want my daughter to get this disease.”

Satnam Kumar, 36

Family members: 4

Profession: Worker at a cloth-making unit in Noida

Earning: Rs 2,100 a month; Headed towards: Hardoi

Why he left: “I have walked 10 km with my sons aged 9 and 6. They didn’t understand why we were walking for hours, so I had to explain to them about the coronavirus.”

Brijpal, 45

Family members: 3

Profession: Worked at a toy-making factory in Greater Noida

Earning: Rs 2,000 a month; Headed towards: Pilibhit

Why he left: “The factory said they will close for three months. The manager has promised to pay me the salary next month in my bank account. It is my only hope. I trust him.”

Raj Kumari, 57

Family members: 3

Profession: Daily wager

Earning: Rs 300 a day; Headed towards: Jhansi

Why she left: “I have got work for just two days over the past half month. I did not eat yesterday. Today, I survived on biscuits. The bus was crowded today, and I couldn’t climb on the roof.”

Sayeeda Bani, 40

Family members: Lives alone ever since her husband died

Profession: Daily wager, domestic help, thread cutter

Earning: Varies; Headed towards: Sultanpuri

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Why she left: “How will I pay rent? I’m going to my village, but I’m not sure anyone will accept me.”

Heerabai, 55

Family members: 4

Profession: Construction worker

Earning: Rs 300 a day; Headed towards: Jhansi

Why she left: “I haven’t had work for 10 days. I have lived long enough to see many things — but nothing like this.”

Photos by Amit Mehra

Curated For You

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

 

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