“I sell vegetables and fruits,” Lovepreet told TOI, pushing his cart. But does he find the time and energy to study? He shrugs and bites into his lower lip, but gives no reply.
His parents used to sell tea at the bus stand in Khanna town until last year. “After the lockdown, they had to stop,” he says.
Second among four siblings, Lovepreet’s eldest sister is preparing for class 12 examinations. The only smartphone at home is shared among the four siblings for studies. “I study and work… I earn around Rs 300 a day,” says the boy who plies his cart under the flyover near Samrala Road.
Lovepreet has no future plans for himself. “I want to finish studies,” the teen says, wiping the sweat of his brow to the sleeve of his red T-shirt. “For now, I have no choice but to work for my family.”