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As if contracting Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome was not bad enough, a family in Bihar is being made to undergo an even worse fate by fellow villagers.
Until last year, the family of Hardayal Singh (68) was like just any other in Hathauri village (population: approx 10,000) under Bochhan block in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district.
But after some members were reportedly found to be infected with AIDS, the rest of the village decided that they wanted nothing to do with this 'unlucky' family.
It is believed that the family's troubles began six year ago when Singh's son and a grandson migrated to Delhi and Surat (Gujarat), respectively, in search of work.
During their stay, they are believed to have visited prostitutes and got infected with AIDS.
Both reportedly returned to the village after illnesses rendered them unfit to work. A blood test on the doctor's advice revealed the worst, one of the villagers said.
Since then, four members of the family have reportedly died of AIDS and three are believed to be infected with the dreaded disease.
At present, the family lives in total isolation as other villagers avoid them fearing they might also contract AIDS.
Admitting that the family was once a respected one, a school teacher in the village said the social boycott was the result of ignorance about AIDS.
"In the last one year, no villager has dared to visit their house," he told rediff.com.
Even deaths in the family failed to move the fear-stricken fellow villagers.
A few months back when Singh's 50-year-old son Sarvendra, otherwise popular in the village, reportedly died of AIDS, not a single villager turned up at the funeral even after a day-long wait by the family.
The scenario was repeated when two of Singh's grandsons and daughter-in-law died.
Another of Singh's sons, his wife and elder brother are believed to be grappling with AIDS and, for the present, death seems to be the only way out of their miserable existence.
The family appears to be doomed as even non-infected members are not being employed by fellow villagers.
What prevents the family from dying of starvation is the rice and pulses some villagers keep outside their houses for them.
The family was reluctant to discuss the issue with rediff.com, but insisted that it has no complaints against anyone.
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