East Bengal's Kerala recruits rue flood crisis at home

Kolkata : Goalkeeper K Mirshad is playing for East Bengal in the ongoing Calcutta Football League, but his mind is on the ravaging floods in his home state Kerala where his sister had to leave home.

"My sister had to leave her home, it was flooded. She is staying at a separate cottage now and is safe but her hardships trouble me at night. I can't sleep," Mirshad told IANS on Monday.

The floods rendered Mirshad's sister homeless in Kanhangad, an affected area in Kasargod district.

"She is married. With things easing a bit now, I just hope she comes back home. I am in regular touch with her," added Mirshad.

Forward Jobby Justin, who hails from Thiruvananthapuram, said his family is safe but he is not at peace thinking about people back home all the time.

"I wanted to be home and help those affected. This is the worst natural disaster to have hit my state and my mind is always there," Justin said.

Justin was at the forefront when East Bengal players held a banner which read 'Save Kerala, save humanity' and went around the entire ground to collect funds after their game against Aryan Club last weekend.

East Bengal's Laldanmawia, who was named man of the match for his superb all-round show, also dedicated the award to the flood victims.

The city football giants' third Kerala recruit, goalkeeper C.K. Ubaid, shared the initiative on his Facebook page after the match on August 18.

"It's not the amount that is counted, but the generosity and kindness," he said thanking the East Bengal fans.