Mangaluru: Abdul Razik Ullal, 37, hotelier-cum-real-estate agent of Thokkottu, has spent more than Rs 50 lakh to help the destitute and mentally-ill. He has helped nearly 135 persons on the streets and of them, 25 have been united with their families in the last decade.
Razik’s hobby of helping destitute is a never-ending tale and this is true from the very fact that he left no stone unturned in finding the address of one Akther Mohammed Sheikh and another youth, who did not remember his own name.
On October 19, Razik found Akther in rags, running on the busy national highway at Nethravathi Bridge. He followed Akther on his bike for more than a kilometer and asked him to stop running. However, Akther did not stop till he reached Thokkottu. Razik remembered him saying: “I will miss my flight if I stop running.”
Finally, Razik convinced him by saying that he would drop him at the airport. He then bathed Akther, trimmed his hair, nails, gave him food and admitted him at Kshema Hospital.
Fortunately now, Akther can recall that his father’s name is Vijay Pawar, a Hindu, and mother Najmunnisa Sheikh, a Muslim, from Miraj in Maharashtra. However, Razik is yet to find the actual address of Akther’s parents. Razik is also striving hard to find the address of a 25-year-old person, who was found eating leftovers from a garbage bin at Ullal on Setpember 29. These are some of the recent episodes in the life of the good samaritan, who finds more time to help destitute and beggars.
He serves them food, buys new clothes, provides treatment at private hospitals and takes care of the expenses from his own pocket. He also reunites them with their families and has a collection over 100 pictures of people, whom he has helped over the years. This also includes two girls, who were found wandering on the streets dressed up as boys.”I bathe those mentally-ill people on street, give them food and take care of their treatment.I want the next generation to remember me as a good human being,” Razik told TOI.
He also said that the minister for health and family welfare, U T Khader, has promised him to provide free treatment to destitutes. “I will continue my services even if no one lends a helping hand,”Razik added.
Ayoob’s story:
On Monday, the samaritan, who is taking care of two destitutes at K S Hegde Medical Academy (Kshema) Hospital in Deralakatte, was busy giving a farewell lunch to Ayoob, 32, a mentally-ill, who was found roaming in the city on October 1.
Razik came across Ayoob through Mangalore South police. He was found wandering in Car Street of the city and was surviving on leftovers. Finding Ayoob performing namaz in front a temple, locals thrashed him and handed him over to police. Finally, cops realized that he was mentally ill.
“One of the cops called me and asked me if I can help Ayoob for his treatment and to find his parents. Today, I happily sent him back home with his brother, who came all the way from Aurangabad,” said Razik.