She rides 1,600 km for stranded son

Razia Sultana travelled to Nellore in AP from Bodhan in Nizamabad district of Telangana to bring back her son.

Shyam Madavedi

Nizamabad

This is a tale of love, grit and determination of a 48-year-old woman to bring her stranded son back home from Nellore in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. She covered a total distance of 1,600 km, half of it alone, on her moped!

Razia Sultana, headmistress at Salampadu Government School and a resident of Bodhan town in Nizamabad district, was distraught when her 19-year-old son, Nizamuddin, was stuck in Nellore town, a good 800 km away from home, due to the nationwide lockdown. Just before the lockdown was announced, he had gone to visit his friends and relatives in Nellore besides wanting to visit Rahmatabad Shareef Dargah at Rahmatabad near Kavali in Nellore district.

After making futile attempts to bring him back including travel in a transport truck, the gritty mother decided to set out for Rahmatabad herself on her moped,. She approached Bodhan ACP Jaipal Reddy for permission, which was denied. The police, however, issued a letter authenticating her identity and the reason for her travel to Nellore.

(See PAGE 2)

She rides 1,600 km for stranded son

Armed with the letter, a few rotis packed in a box and with five litres of petrol, Razia Sultana set out at 6 am on April 6. Taking the help of Google maps, she travelled from Bodhan through Gajwel, Nalgonda, Miryalaguda, Addanki and took the Kavali route. She reached Kavali at 2 am on April 7, took rest for a couple of hours at a police check-post and set out for Rahmatabad. She reached the town in the early hours of April 7, and met her son.

The mother and son then set out for Bodhan on April 7 at 7 am, reached Kamareddy at 2 pm on April 8, took rest for a while at a relative’s house and reached home in the night. Worried about police checks en route and possible explanations to probing questions, Razia Sultana would not allow Nizamuddin to ride the moped on the return journey, doing it herself. She, was, however, grateful to the police who understood the situation she was in and allowed her to ride through. Razia sultana expressed her gratitude to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Police for cooperating with her during her incredible joutney to bring her son back home. Needless to say, relatives, friends and the towns people are amazed at the gutsy woman, a widow, who lost her husband 14 years ago. As for Nizamuddin, he will continue preparing for NEET long term coaching at Sri Chaitanya in Hyderabad, and his mother’s love for him should stand him in good stead in the years to come.