Sorry tale of India's lockdown: 300 migrant workers, two trucks

An incident from Maharashtra's Yavatmal showed the desperation which these vulnerable people feel.

During a routine inspection at a border post, officials came across two trucks, coming from Telangana and headed towards Rajasthan.

On opening these vehicles, officers found that over 300 migrant workers were crammed inside them. They hailed from Rajasthan and had taken the dangerous route to reach homes.

Yavatmal Superintendent of Police M Rajkumar said the men were mostly construction workers and it will be probed how the truck got so far without being investigated.

"The officials at Pandharkavda toll booth found something was fishy as the drivers could not give a satisfactory answer as to what the trucks were carrying and where," a senior official said.

Unfortunately, this isn't the standalone case. Uttar Pradesh authorities told the Railways that several migrant workers traveled illegally on railway rakes. As part of the lockdown, rakes were being brought from Thiruvananthapuram to Gorakhpur.

Most of the men alighted in Jhansi, but it's unclear where they boarded the rakes.

After the matter got attention, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal stopped movement of all empty rakes.

Separately, some, who weren't able to hitch any rides, have decided to walk. Scenes of migrant workers, holding their belongings and walking on highways dominated media yesterday.

Acting on the issue, the Centre asked states to arrange shelter and food for these migrant workers.

Students, however, who are living away from home, were advised to stay put by Joint Secretary, MHA, Punya Salila Srivastava.