Maharashtra: Man offers vegetables for free to poor during coronavirus lockdown

Amid the lockdown, a board put up on a vegetable hand cart saying 'buy if possible, take for free if not' has been attracting passerby in Maharashtra's Aurangabad city.

Some look at it with curious eyes, while others appreciate the gesture of the vendor - a graduate who works with a private firm - to offer vegetables for free at a time when many people are facing financial difficulties due to the coronavirus-enforced lockdown.

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After his company stopped paying him salary during the lockdown, Rahul Labde decided to sell vegetables on a hand cart along with his father to have some earning to sustain his livelihood.

Initially, he was selling veggies at market rates just like other vendors, but decided to offer them for free to the poor and needy after an elderly woman having just Rs 5 with her came to him four days back.

"The old woman came to me and asked for vegetables for just Rs 5 as she didnt have more money," Labde, who has put up his hand cart at Ambedkar Chowk in Bhavsingpura area of the city, told PTI.

"I wondered what should I give her for Rs 5. I then gave her for free the vegetables she wanted, and decided to help other people also by offering them veggies free of cost if they are not in a position to pay," he said.

Labde claimed to have helped nearly 100 people with his gesture in the last three days.

"I have given vegetables worth around Rs 2,000 for free. I am going to continue this work as long as I can afford. My wish is no one should go hungry to bed at the end of the day," he said.

He says at times people, who are running short of money, feel shy to ask him to give vegetables for free.

"But, hunger forces them to ask me in a low voice...I think by helping them I can contribute to the society at such a crucial time," he said.