The lockdown, now in its second month in India, has left nearly two dozen contractual labourers working on fishing boats in Mumbai on the brink of starvation. Owners of fishing trawlers have allegedly sacked them to recover the 'heavy losses' they have incurred during the lockdown. However, for these 20 men stuck on a patch of land with just one meal a day since April 18, a bunch of good Samaritans have overcome hurdles to get them some desperately needed sustenance.

When a mid-day team visited Madh Island on Thursday though, around 20 contractual labourers were seen struggling to find shelter in the nearby jungles to avoid the scorching sun. Most of them claimed to have had just one meal throughout the day for the past six days. A few of them had earlier contacted their relatives back in Sultanpur and Jaunpur areas of Uttar Pradesh to request food and shelter arrangements in Mumbai.