Children come forward with piggy banks

Lucknow : Children in Uttar Pradesh, obviously inspired by the campaign against Coronavirus, are now taking their piggy banks to the nearest police stations to make their contribution to PM CARES fund.

In Kutesra village in Muzaffarnagar, two siblings reached a nearby police check-post on Thursday and handed over their 'lifetime' savings kept in two piggy banks for the needy people.

Sub inspector Shiv Kumar said, "I have informed deputy superintendent of police and sought his advice if this money can be accepted or not, but personally I admire the children for their effort."

"The piggy banks have not been opened yet as we will first take the permission from higher authorities for it," he said. The policemen, in turn, gave red roses to the children -- Adeeba, 10, and her 7-year-old brother Adib - as a token of appreciation.

Two days ago, a five-year-old boy, Devasthan, in Basti district went up to a police station and handed over his piggy bank. The boy did not know how much money he had in the piggy bank but said that he wanted to give it to the Prime Minister for the battle against Corona.

He said that he had seen on television how people were joining in the battle against the virus and he decided to make his contribution.

The cops tried to make the boy from giving up his savings because he had come alone to the police station but Devasthan was firm. "We will send the money to higher officials and they will decide how it has to be sent," said a police official in Basti.

Another six-year-old boy in Kanpur, Rohtash, told his parents that he wanted to 'sell' his toys and send the money to Prime Minister.

"We have convinced him to wait for the lockdown to be lifted. I will probably give the toys to an orphanage and give some money to Rohtash so that he feels that he has sold his toys to get money," said the boy's father who did not wish to be named.