With the whole of India coming to a standstill owing to the national lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, five young Tamil migrants who were left with no job or place to stay in Kochi tried to walk back their homes in Thenkasi. Being deprived of food and water, two of the workers fainted by the time they reached Muvattupuzha.

The migrants used to live and wok ar a furniture shop in Kochi. After the lockdown was imposed, the owner of the shop told them to go back to their hometown. He had also given Rs 1000 to each of them. But as all public transport services and other vehicles were suspended to contain the coronavirus spread, they decided to return home by walking, with the hope to get into some lorry that transport vegetables.

As they had not been eating properly for the past two days, two of the workers fainted when they neared Muvattupuzha. The local people came to their help and provided them with food and water. After reporting to the Police, they were moved to a camp.