9-year-old Riyaz lost his one leg and hands in an accident when he was trying to save a little girl. Post that incident, he was invited to attend various events nationally and internationally and was honoured with several bravery awards. Despite his miserable condition, the government has not provided him with any financial assistance. He runs a general store to support his family.
Lucknow: Riyaz was playing in the Buddha Park adjacent to the railway station when he saw a 5-year-old girl walking on the railway track. He called her to get off the track, but his voice could not reach her. Just then he noticed a train getting closer to her, he rushed in to save her. He could pull her away from the tracks just in time but got partially hit by the train himself. In the accident, he lost his leg and both of his hands. The shock from the incident made his body go numb; he couldn’t comprehend what had just happened.
Receiving praises for his bravery
The sight was heart-wrenching. People rushed in to save Riyaz and took him to the hospital. While he was receiving treatment in the hospital, the news of the accident spread in the entire city. Some felt pity whereas the others praised his bravery. In no time, the journalists arrived to report the incident, and the next morning, the tale of Riyaz’s courage was printed on the first page of the newspapers.
International appreciation
After a few weeks in the hospital, Riyaz was allowed to go back home. The loss of his vital body parts was still like a fresh wound inside his heart. But the fact that he had saved a girl’s life, was enough to put him out of his misery.
Riyaz received calls from international media agencies and was invited to attend events in Singapore and Mauritius. He was presented with bravery awards. The then president of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam honoured Riyaz with Sanjay Chopra Bravery Award acknowledging his courage to save a kid just fours years younger than him.
Riyaz was recently invited on a television show called Saregamapa. His bravery act was celebrated and praised on the show.
Finding work
Riyaz completed his schooling from CMS school. He had received numerous appreciation awards, but he received no help financially. He had lost his leg and hands, and it became difficult to find a job appropriate to his skills. People would not give him employment thinking of him as a burden. He was deeply saddened by the situation and to earn a living, he took a loan from the bank and opened a shop which he could run by himself.
Riyaz sells confectionary items in his shop like toffees, biscuits, chocolates along with other household items. He rides on his broken tricycle to reach his tiny shop in Telibagh.
He shares that since the accident, the government has changed three times, but no one has given him a job to ease his sufferings. Recently, he visited the offices of CM Yogi Adityanath and demanded a job for a decent living.
Responsibility of the household
Riyaz has three younger sisters, and a brother. Due to metal illness, his father could not earn a living and passed away in November 2022. Riyaz got married in the year 2020 and has a son now. His responsibilities have doubled over the years but no one offers him a job.
His earnings from the shop are not enough and he frequently takes loan to restock his shop with products. Riyaz runs his household with whatever amount of money he earns after his hard labour at the shop.
Read Exclusive COVID-19 Coronavirus News updates, at MyNation.