As the nationwide lockdown struck them hard, lakhs of migrant labourers across India looked for divine intervention to end their misery as they make an arduous journey back home. In Andhra Pradesh's Puttaparthy, brothers "Ram and Laxman" came to the rescue of 80 labourers from Kashmir when all hopes were lost for the group to go back home amid the lockdown.

Running out of food and money, the past two weeks have not been less than a nightmare for these labourers stranded away from home. While local authorities informed the labourers a few days ago that they can finally board a train from Hyderabad, they were left to make their own arrangements for a journey of 436 kilometre, all the way to Hyderabad from Puttaparthy.

They said the local authorities made bus arrangements but would only provide the service if the poor labourers could cough up Rs 1.82 lakh.

The Kashmiris were touched by the prompt help. Sheikh Tariq, a Kashmiri shawl and cloth seller said, "We were miserable till Rao brothers helped us. We hope we can make it home."

Tariq further said, "The government makes tall claims that labourers are being sent free of cost. We were asked to pay Rs 65,000 each for three buses, charging us for the onward and return journey."

Three buses were mandated to ensure social distancing between the group of Kashmiris, but instead turned out to be a costlier affair. The influential Rao brothers requested authorities to at least waive off Rs 30,000.

Tariq said, “The labourers owe us the money and will return the money to Rao brothers even if it means selling household belongings.”

Laxman who lent the cash from his own petrol pump said, "We have been assured that the money will be returned. But even if they are not able to, we will think, we have done a social service." I have been to Jammu and Kashmir four times since 2014 and Kashmiris have been hospitable to us.

With loan money riding on them, these Kashmiri labourers are now only praying that they can make it to the railway station from Andhra Pradesh, hoping to catch the train from Hyderababad to Udhampur.

Interestingly, Nasir Khuehami, J&K students’ association spokesperson tweeted the plight of the labourers, to which Dr Jitendra Singh, Mos PMO in Modi government asked for details. But so far no help has reached the labourers.

Moved by their plight, businessmen and twin brothers Ram and Laxman Rao, pleaded their case with the local administration and MLA. With no help from the authorities, they decided to help the labourers by themselves and loaned the sum so that the Kashmiri families could go home.

The businessmen brothers own several shops of gold, real estate and petrol pumps in Andhra Pradesh. Speaking on the phone, Laxman said, "We have known the Kashmiris who stay in our locality for 20 years. They are our brothers."

He added, "We tried pleading with the authorities but seeing their lackadaisical response, we decided to loan them Rs 1.82 lakh, so that they can go home."