Sole breadwinners, they hoped for better pay to sustain their families | Delhi News – Times of India

New Delhi: Brijesh and Vikram, who lost their lives while undertaking maintenance work at a city hospital, were the sole breadwinners of their families residing in the modest town of Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh.Day after day, they laboured tirelessly, often putting in long hours beyond their regular work shifts to ensure that their loved ones back home never faced hardship. Brijesh’s relative Narender Kumar said Brijesh and Vikram belonged to the same village in Hardoi. “Brijesh dutifully cared for his wife and elderly parents. He came to Delhi a month ago and found a job, earning Rs 430 per day. He used to work 8am till 5pm, often putting in extra hours to earn additional money to send back home and support his family’s needs,” Narender said.Similarly, Vikram was the pillar of a family of five, including four daughters, who depended on his steady income. “He was working overtime to provide for his family,” Narender said.The two men left behind the familiar rural life of farming in their village, where the income was meagre and insufficient to support their families adequately. The harsh realities of agriculture compelled them to seek better opportunities in Delhi in the hope of pulling their families out of financial hardship.Pankaj Kumar, another relative of Brijesh, said uncertainty now loomed over the families. “Unfortunately, with their untimely deaths, the future of their loved ones has become bleak, casting a heavy shadow of worry and hardship,” he said.The two men lived together in west Delhi’s Madipur area. “They were very close, which is why Vikram tried to save Brijesh when he lost consciousness,” Pankaj said.Akhilesh Kumar, who worked with the two men, described them as humble and simple in their speech and behaviour. “They were kind-hearted and straightforward, always respectful in their conversations,” he recalled.