Mumbai: 25 migrant workers held for travelling during lockdown
On Tuesday, hundreds of migrant workers, who have beenstuck in Mumbai since the first phase of the lockdown kickedin on March 24, gathered outside Bandra railway station hopingfor special trains to take them to their native states.
A police official said a patrolling team interceptedthe vehicle in Meera Baugh area of Santacruz on suspicion inearly morning.
"Police found 25 men, all migrant workers, crammedinside the mini truck and brought them to police station," hesaid.
The migrants, all residents of 'Bhaiyya Wadi' inSantacruz, were upset over the extension of the lockdown byanother 19 days.
These people are daily wage workers who earn theirliving in Mumbai by doing odd jobs, the official said, addingthat they are desperate to go to their homes in other states.
"We have arrested 25 labourers and the tempo driverPralhad Yadav. All of them hail from Uttar Pradesh. We arelooking for the tempo owner," said Santacruz police stationsenior inspector Shriram Koregaonkar.
He said each of the labourer had paid Rs 1500 for thejourney.
"We have booked them under various sections including188 (Disobeying the order promulgated by public servant) ofthe Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections of the EpidemicDiseases Act," he said, adding that all the 25 people arereleased on bail.
The inspector said the migrants were getting food, butare anxious to go their homes.
In his address on Tuesday evening, Maharashtra ChiefMinister Uddhav Thackeray tried to reach out to migrantworkers stuck in Maharashtra and appealed them to stay put. ZANSK NSK