Uttar Pradesh: Two trucks collide, 24 migrants die, several injured
Twenty four migrant workers were killed in Uttar Pradesh in the wee hours of Saturday, when the truck they were traveling in collided with another in Auraiya, some 200 kilometer away from the state capital Lucknow. 22 migrants were admitted to a government hospital while 15, who suffered life-threatening injuries, were shifted to Saifai PGI. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences.
According to reports, the workers were coming from Rajasthan and wished to reach West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand, more than 1,500 kilometer away. Desperate to reach home, they hitched a ride on a truck, that carried food packets. Abhishek Singh, DM Auraiya, said, "The accident took place around 3:30 am. Most of them are from Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal."
उत्तर प्रदेश के औरैया में सड़क दुर्घटना बेहद ही दुखद है। सरकार राहत कार्य में तत्परता से जुटी है। इस हादसे में मारे गए लोगों के परिजनों के प्रति अपनी संवेदना प्रकट करता हूं, साथ ही घायलों के जल्द से जल्द स्वस्थ होने की कामना करता हूं।
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 16, 2020
After the vehicles overturned, locals rushed to help the migrants. Spot visuals showed a number of cops undertaking the rescue operation by pulling out the food packets. A statement from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's office revealed that he has taken note of the tragic accident. "He has expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the laborers who lost their lives," the statement added.
"Chief Minister has also directed that all the injured be provided medical care immediately and the Commissioner and IG Kanpur to visit the site and give the report on the cause of the accident immediately," Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi said.
जनपद औरैया में सड़क दुर्घटना में प्रवासी कामगारों/श्रमिकों की मृत्यु दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण एवं दुःखद है, मेरी संवेदनाएं मृतकों के शोक संतप्त परिजनों के साथ हैं।
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) May 16, 2020
पीड़ितों को हर संभव राहत प्रदान करने,घायलों का समुचित उपचार कराने व दुर्घटना की त्वरित जांच करवाने के निर्देश भी दिए गए हैं।
The lockdown, imposed to contain the spread of coronavirus, has served as a major blow to migrant workers. Economic activities have been shut since March 25, when the first lockdown started, and they were left with no option but to return home. However, since modes of transportation were suspended, they started walking. Some walked on railway tracks, others sought help from truck drivers.
Auraiya's accident isn't the only one to jolt India. Before this, at least 15 migrant workers lost their lives in three separate accidents in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar. On May 8, 16 migrant workers were mowed down by a goods train in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. They were walking towards their homes in Madhya Pradesh and slept on the tracks due to exhaustion.
On Friday, the Ministry of Home Affairs asked all states to ensure migrant workers don't walk as buses and special trains have been arranged for them. The Centre started Shramik special trains from May 1 to send them home. The states were told that the Ministry of Railways was running more than 100 special trains daily and would operate more if needed.
MHA to States:
— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) May 15, 2020
Ensure #MigrantWorkers don't have to walk back home, as GoI is running buses over 100 #ShramikSpecials daily to facilitate their journey.
People need to be made aware about these arrangments counselled by States to not travel on foot#COVID19#IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/Aaf2ygMfqb
