7-yr-old starts 1,062-km run to Ayodhya with message against drugs, pollution

Mohabbat — a seven-year-old boy from Killianwali village near Abohar — would carry a message against drugs and environmental pollution as he embarks on a 1,062-km run to Ayodhya, the city of the Ram Mandir in Uttar Pradesh.

Mohabbat, the son of Rinku, a local hairdresser, had previously completed a 215-km run from Abohar to Ludhiana last December, which took him six days. During that run, he had the opportunity to meet Anmol Kawatra, a social activist who works for children’s welfare. Since then, Mohabbat has been training daily, running 10-12 km almost every day. His father, Rinku, shared at a ceremony today at Balaji Dham, where they sought blessings from priest Nand Kishore Shastri before starting this new journey.

Rinku recalled that after returning from Ludhiana, they met MLA Sandeep Jakhar at his Panjkosi residence, where they received encouragement to plan a bigger venture. Today, at Balaji Dham, Mohabbat was greeted by hundreds of well-wishers who came to support him before he set off on his journey. The boy and his father plan to stay overnight at various religious places along the way and continue their run the following morning.

During his run, Mohabbat intends to hold small gatherings at educational institutions and village chaupals (community centres) to raise awareness about the dangers of addiction, promote environmental preservation by discouraging the burning of stubble and encourage the use of homemade manure in farming.

Border Security Force Commandant KN Tripathi, Deputy Commandant Gurdeep Singh and Vipul Halder also wished Mohabbat good luck. Tripathi praised the young boy, calling him “not just a small child, but a young soldier” who would inspire the youth of the nation.