Lunglei, July 7,2020: Taking a risk in dangerous times and also possibly making himself a target for social stigma, a 46-year-old man in Mizoram is winning the hearts of several Covid suspect patients as he took them home without charging a penny after they completed their institutional quarantine period, as per a report in IANS.

Israel Lalremtluanga is a Baptist Church pastor in southern Mizoram’s Lunglei district. He drives people to their homes in his own car. He worked on his small vehicle with a single seat in front for the driver, with back seats for passengers made of polythene and a plastic barrier in between to maintain social distancing.

“I started ferrying people from March after the Mizoram citizens started returning to their homes from different parts of the country. I learnt people were facing great difficulties in returning to their villages and homes even after they completed their 14 or 21-day quarantine period or came out negative for coronavirus,” he said.

No public transport despite Covid-19 recovery

“Social prejudice came in their way. Even after recovering from the disease or completed quarantine period, they were not getting public transport or were made to pay up Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 to return to their villages and homes in vehicles laden with goods,” he added.

Just a few months back there were reports of an asthma patient dying on roadside in a southern state as none around him was brave enough to ferry him to the nearest hospital, fearing Covid infection. This shows how important the pastor is to people who face prejudice everyday.

“Their miseries and inhuman situations stirred my heart,” he went on to say.

He said that his father-in-law Thankunga Chongthu, who died in January last year, had purchased the car, he is now using.

The pastor, who along with his two children and wife lives in Haulawng village (in Lunglei district), 130 km south of state capital Aizawl, said it was his primary duty to give happiness and comforts to the needy and ailing people.

https://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/israel-lalremtluanga-mizoram-covid-hero-who-gives-people-rides-for-free-517357.html