Migrant labourers across the nation are making various desperate attempts to reach their homes amid the nationwide lockdown. Another such instance has come to light.
18 workers were found travelling in the mixer tank of a cement mixer truck by police in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. This truck was travelling from Maharashtra to Lucknow.
#WATCH 18 people found travelling in the mixer tank of a concrete mixer truck by police in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. DSP Umakant Chaudhary says, “They were travelling from Maharashtra to Lucknow. The truck has been sent to a police station & an FIR has been registered”. pic.twitter.com/SfsvS0EOCW
— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2020
Traffic Police Sub-Inspector Amit Kumar Yadav who inspected the truck said,
During a routine check-up at Panth Piplai village, about 35 km from Indore, we stopped a truck laden with a cement-mixer on suspicion. After opening the lid, we found 18 people inside. They were all sent to a shelter for medical examination. A bus is also being arranged to send them to UP.
According to reports, the driver of the vehicle was arrested, the vehicle seized and an FIR has been registered.
Twitter was heartbroken after seeing the video.
Think of the desperation that forces 18 migrants to travel home in a cement mixer, and others to walk 100s of km, their little kids and belongings on their shoulders, in the blazing sun.
— Cynthia Rodrigues (@Cynth_Rodrigues) May 3, 2020
While the central govt spends Rs 8458 cr on new jets for modi's travels.
PM Nero we have. https://t.co/19BKmDwxFC
This is so agonizing. 18 people decide to flee, squeezed in an iron container which rotates around a spindle for journey that would take roughly over a day.
— Kiran Rao (@Kiranrao80) May 2, 2020
Imagine how desperate they are to go home that 18 of them are sitting inside in this heat . This is the situation of the migrants 😥
— Subhasis Mahato (@SuvsisK) May 2, 2020
Shocking outcome of a badly conceived #lockdown that bans —instead of, more sensibly, limiting & monitoring — inter-state movement. https://t.co/ik5tTcxRqv
— Minhaz Merchant (@MinhazMerchant) May 2, 2020
Heartbreaking https://t.co/PmjHr2dWmM
— LIBERATUM (@LiberatumGlobal) May 3, 2020
Keeping such instances in mind, Union ministry of Home Affairs had issued fresh guidelines for interstate movement to allow stranded migrant labourers, tourists and students to return to their homes. This will come in effect from May 4.