When a social media message emerged about their benevolence on Thursday, the cops at Kalady station were a surprised lot.
They had no clue about what brought them that plaudit even as the social media post waxed eloquent over their large-heartedness about a food packet they had distributed near Kalady town.
It emerged that the packet had ₹200 in it and a letter asking after the well-being of the recipient and reminding the need for complying with the COVID protocol for staying safe. Surprised, they launched a ‘probe’ that traced the food packet to the 150-odd packets they had collected for distribution from the Student Police Cadets (SPCs) of St. Thomas Higher Secondary School, Malayattoor, in Ernakulam district.
The school authorities then asked around and further traced the particular food packet to Angel Shine, a Class 10 student from an impoverished background, who surreptitiously slipped in the cash and letter into her packet donated as part of SPC’s Oru Vayaroottaam (Let’s feed one) programme.
“I know the longing for meal as I have gone through it many times since my childhood. I wanted to help and extend a few words of comfort to whoever received it. Even my schooling and my family’s survival is thanks to the kindness of many benevolent people,” said Angel, sounding upbeat despite her obvious hardships.
Both her parents are sick and are not in a position to work. She had saved ₹200 from the cash donated by people for helping the family in distress. “My mother had taught me that even if I have only one meal even that should be donated to someone more needy,” said Angel, the eldest of the three siblings.
It emerged that another student had also slipped in a small donation inside the food packet.
“We had asked the 132 SPCs in our school to donate one food packet each and the enthusiastic students came up with 272 packets. While 100 packets were distributed in Perumbavur and Aluva, the rest were given to Kalady police,” said Simmi Joseph, the high school teacher in charge of SPC.
The school authorities also came to know about the unique food packet after the social media post started making rounds.
