On the 8th of May, fourteen migrant labourers were crushed to death by a goods train in Maharashtra.
The incident happened around 5.30 A.M., when the migrants, who were on their way back to their homes fell asleep on the railway tracks at Aurangabad, Maharashtra. The death of 14 workers was confirmed by the Union Railway Ministry. A Railway Ministry official said, “At least 14 people have died and two injured in the incident.”
The goods train which ran over those 16 migrants labourers was running in the Nanded Division of South Central Railway.
Mr. Rakesh, the Spokesperson of the South Central Railways, said, “After passing Badnapur station, the loco pilot saw some people on the tracks and tried to control it and sounded the horn also, but by the time he could do, it was too late.”
The goods train was an empty petroleum tanker train that was proceeding from Cherlapalli in Telangana to Paniwadi, near Manmad in Maharashtra.
The Railway Safety Commissioner ordered an enquiry in the incident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter and condoled the deaths of these 14 migrant workers.
Mr. Modi’s tweet read, “Extremely anguished by the loss of lives due to the rail accident in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Have spoken to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and he is closely monitoring the situation. All possible assistance required is being provided.”
Piyush Goyal, the Union Minister of Indian Railways also expressed grief and said, “Today received saddening news of labourers sleeping on railway tracks run over by a goods train at 5.22 a.m. in Nanded division between Karnad and Badnapur railway station. Relief work is on and an enquiry has been ordered. I pray for those who lost their lives.”
India is under a nationwide lockdown since the 24th of March, to contain the spread of the Novel Coronavirus in the country.
While citizens of India are asked to stay home, these migrant workers left with no job, no money and residing from different cities were left with no choice but to walk back home. Since there is no means of transportation, the workers started their journey on foot amid the lockdown.
Though respective state governments arranged shelter homes, food and necessary items for them, they are protesting and demanding to go back to their native places.
In regard to their demands, the Ministry of Home Affairs approved to run special trains named the Shramik Express, to shift these workers. However, the shifting process would be done under the supervision and consent of the state governments, both the sender and the receiver states.
While many states are arranging the trains and sending these workers back by running the trains on a regular basis, states like Karnataka stopped the trains and forced the workers to stay back.
Hopeless with the Central Government and state government, many migrant labourers started their journey on foot across India.
Stay tuned for further updates.
Source: IANS.
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