New Delhi: He quit his job in Dubai and returned to India to spend time with his ailing mother. However, life doesn’t always go according to plan – or COVID-19 restrictions. He got the devastating news during his quarantine period only. As his 14-day quarantine for COVID-19 was ending came the news of his mother’s death.
Heartbroken son
A heartbroken Aamir Khan said his mother died Saturday. He could not even attend Sunday his mother’s last rites at their home in Rampur. Aamir’s quarantine would end soon but he wasn’t allowed to leave.
It was a series of narrow misses. The 30-year-old, who had moved to Dubai six years ago to work as a product consultant returned to India May 13.
Revised guidelines not implemented
Sunday, the day of his mother’s funeral, the government announced revised guidelines for international arrivals. It divided the 14-day quarantine into two parts. The first seven days paid institutional quarantine at the traveller’s own cost. It would be followed by seven days’ isolation at home with self-monitoring of health.
“I showed the news updates to the authorities… that the guidelines have been revised. I asked them to let me go home and I said I will take all precautions. I was ready to take a test too but nothing worked in my favour,” Aamir informed.
Emotional loss
Aamir had initially planned to come to India in March and spend a month with his mother. She had been diagnosed with liver cirrhosis in November last year.
“We will learn to live with the virus but the emotional losses it is causing will remain with us forever. I spent last two months with only one agenda; I have to meet my mother. I put everything at stake because I was determined to do this. But my efforts failed,” Aamir said over the phone.
“I struggled for two months, making several rounds to the embassy, to come home. Finally I could board a repatriation flight May 13 from the UAE to Delhi,” informed the heartbroken son.
Requests turned down
In accordance with protocol, he was sent to a quarantine centre, a private hotel he is paying for, for 14 days.
“On the eighth day, I told the representatives from SDM office that I really need to go to meet my mother. They told me they need to take special permission. More days went by and I got a call that my mother passed away. I pleaded the authorities to let me go for the last rites but I wasn’t allowed to,” Aamir lamented.
Putting everything at stake
Aamir said his plans to come in March were put on backburner after international travel was suspended due to lockdown. He informed that since he just got only 20 days leave to visit his mother, he quit the job.
“I was surprised with their response, I told them there is a compulsory 14-day quarantine period and I won’t be left with much time. But my bosses did not pay heed to my requests,” Aamir informed. “So I decided to quit and move back in the hope of spending some months with my mother. I had no clue that she did not have any time left,” Aamir said.
Agencies