Sunday,a tragic landslip in Tirthahalli took lives of a migrant family,showing dangers faced by those working far from home. Mallikarjun,30,his wife Nagaveni,27,and their three-year-old son Santhosh were buried under debris after heavy rains hit their makeshift shelter in Gandhi Nagar.
Witnesses described chaos before landslide. Lakshmi,a fellow migrant from Kakkaragol,shared how she and about 25 others fled their zinc-sheet shelters . "We woke to sound of something hitting the roof," she said. Her brother's urgent warning saved many,but for some,it was too late.
The family had arrived in Tirthahalli just days earlier,Thursday,seeking employment . They left two daughters behind,bringing only their youngest . "We were looking for jobs," Lakshmi said. But relentless rain over past days had them discussing returning home. "We decided to go back,since it's hard for women to find work when it rains," she added.
Plans to leave were dashed within hours. "We would have left today,but destiny had other plans," Lakshmi lamented. Landslip struck as they prepared to depart,burying the family under tons of mud and rock.
Rescue teams,with earthmovers,worked tirelessly to recover bodies. After hours,they found Mallikarjun and his family,mother and child still clutching each other . Many migrant workers face harsh realities leaving home for better chances.
Each year,countless from northern Karnataka migrate to Malnad for work,often in plantations,construction,quarries. Somanath,another migrant worker from Lingasaguru in Raichur,shared his story,traveling with his wife,two sons,who left studies to work with him . "I earn ₹800 day,good money," he said,noting wages here are better than home.
Families set up temporary shelters on vacant land in Gandhi Nagar,partitioning space with more zinc sheets. They cooked early before heading to work,returning only at night. Now,after landslide,taluk administration moved survivors to temporary care center at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Bhavan .
Lakshmi's reflection on disaster reveals painful truth . "If we had rain like Tirthahalli's these two days in our village,we'd never have left home," she said. The family that perished owned two acres back home,but income was too little,forcing them to seek work elsewhere.
Migrant workers risk everything for better life. Community mourns loss of Mallikarjun,Nagaveni,and Santhosh,raising urgent questions about safety,support for those leaving home for opportunity.
