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It’s a friendship with a difference

Akhil with his pet hen

KORAPUT: It’s a unique relation between Akhil, the 11-year-old son of Tarakeswar, a small businessman and Bitu, the one-year-old hen at Koraput that has been drawing people from far and wide for the last few months. But it’s not a surprise for Akhil to share his bed, rice plate and chair while inside the house and the cycle carrier while going out to meet friends in the neighbourhood.

Akhil understands what Bitu tries to communicate and Bitu recognises the footsteps, voice and the rhythm of Akhil’s cycle bell. Bitu is not from any special category. It is an ordinary chick which was purchased by Akhil, paying just Rs.2 from the local market a year ago, Jagadiswari, his mother says.

“Bitu is my brother and friend. He loves me like I do to him,” Akhil tells the curious people before his house in Mission Compound of Koraput. But with everyone, Bitu doesn’t behave as friendly as with Akhil. It even bites, hits and jumps on the strangers till Akhil intervenes. It screams at the highest of its voice while guarding the house in the absence of the family members inside, Karuna Kumari, a woman in the neighbourhood says.

Bitu also has strange habits. While it eats rice and dal in lunch and dinner, biscuits with Akhil in breakfast. It does not accept any stale food. Even it catches snakes and mouse. Even though animals can’t speak like the human beings , it certainly understands the feelings of everyone. Every child should love animals and birds and never hurt them , Akhil says.

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