'My only wish is to see my son walk once again, Should one have to die to receive benefits?'

WAYANAD: "My son isn't dead; why should one have to die to receive benefits? It's been 22 days since he became bedridden and there's no one cares about us. Is there a rule that benefits are only given after death? No one is advocating for us and my only wish is to see my son walk again," said Kamalakshi wiping her tears, wife of Vijayan from Kareri Naaykka Colony. Sarath's eyes welled up as he heard his mother's words; he understands everything. On the other side of Padamalai, Paul, the father of Joey and Sona was trampled to death by a wild elephant. Sarath knows that Rahul Gandhi visited their homes yesterday and Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan is also coming.

On January 28th, Sarath went to a wedding at Puzhamoola Colony with three friends. Around 9 o'clock at night, a wild elephant suddenly appeared. His friends fled but Sarath's legs got tangled and he fell. The elephant wrapped its trunk around him and threw him. Sarath was unconscious and was taken to Mananthavadi Medical College. With serious injuries, he was transferred to Kozhikode, where he stayed for two weeks with no improvement. Sarath's hip was broken. While his mother joined a struggle for compensation for Paul, who was killed by the elephant, no one spoke up for Sarath. The forest department provided only Rs.12,000 leaving the family drowning in debt. Sarath, a ninth-grade student at Pulpalli Vijaya High School needs further treatment and education. His father, Vijayan and Kamalakshi work hard to make ends meet. Ravi, Anish and Ajith are his brothers.

"Urgent action is needed for Sarath's treatment and education. The government, forest department, and tribal department must step in promptly."

-- Bindu Prakash, District Panchayat Member

"The government must intervene immediately in Sarath's case, or we will launch strong protest programs."

--EA Shankar, Adivasi Congress National Coordinator