Jharkhand: Kunal, 34, lay on his bed, keeping the AC’s temperature at 21 degrees on a scorchy summer afternoon. Once a healthy man, as seen in the pictures on the room’s wall, Kunal’s body had grown extremely pale. Lying down in his shorts, Kunal had an oxygen mask on his mouth almost permanently, so much so that even to go to the washroom, the oxygen concentrator would keep him company.
An oxygen cylinder was beside him in case the electricity went off. Otherwise, the machine was on permanently. Kunal used to work in Bangalore until a few years back when he decided to return home. Struggling to find a job, he finally found a factory with an opening.
“The Krishna and Krishna Udyog hired me; my job was to do the billings and take care of payments.”
