Though the Chennai police department offered to help Amma, she rejected it saying that she wants a job

Chennai cop helps domestic worker get back her job after she recovers from Covid-19

Radhe Amma, who worked as domestic help for over 10-years at a complex in KK Nagar, Chennai, could not report to work for almost a month after contracting the disease. The job was her only source of livelihood.

by · The Indian Express · Join

While successfully recovering from Covid-19 is a cause for joy for most, the situation looked grim for 50-year-old Radhe Amma when her employers refused to hire her back after she was discharged.

While winning the battle against Covid-19 may have been tough and cumbersome, a bigger struggle awaited Amma when she returned from the quarantine centre. Amma, who worked as domestic help for over 10-years at a complex in KK Nagar, Chennai, could not report to work for almost a month after contracting the disease. It was her only source of livelihood.

Amma’s plight soon reached the ears of DCP (T Nagar) Hari Kiran. “There was a call that came to  V Vikraman, DCP Adyar. The informer said that a lady by the name of Radhe Amma had contracted coronavirus and was not able to go to work. When she recovered and returned to work, she was asked not to come under the apprehension that she might spread the infection,” he told the indianexpress.com

Though the Chennai police department offered to help Amma financially, she rejected it, saying she wanted to go back to her job as domestic worker.

“She is a single lady and has no other support. Because KK Nagar comes under my area, I was informed about the situation and during my rounds, I personally visited Radha Amma’s home and assured her of help,” the DCP said.

Following his interaction with Amma, Kiran visited the complex and spoke to the residents, requesting them to employ her back and told them not to stigmatise coronavirus patients.

While the complex authorities heeded Kiran’s request, they informed him that they had already hired Amma’s replacement and could not arbitrarily remove the worker.

“They assured me that they would help her out and hire her in some other work in the complex at the earliest,” he said. “When this information was conveyed to Radhe Amma, she was very happy and thanked the police,” he added.

Kiran’s efforts of going beyond the call of duty to help Amma was praised by many, including the Indian Police Association, who shared the tale on their official Twitter handle.