In yet another incident involving migrant’s death, at least 24 migrant workers have been killed and several others injured after a trailer truck they were traveling in collided with DCM vehicle (a supply lorry) near Auraiya in Uttar Pradesh, in the early hours on Saturday. The injured were shifted to the Saifai Medical College in Etawah
District Magistrate Auraiya Abhishek Singh said the incident took place at 3:30 AM on Saturday, while the truck carrying migrants was coming from Rajasthan and the supply lorry was coming from Delhi. He added that the migrants who lost their life belonged to Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
Desperate to return home, separate groups of migrants hitched a ride on two trucks from Rajasthan and Delhi; they were headed to villages in Bihar, Jharkhand, UP and West Bengal, stated the officials. One of the trucks were loaded with goods and laborers were sitting on the sacks when they were thrown off the vehicle due to the impact of the collision.
“Some people had got down from one of the trucks that stopped at a Dhaba to have tea. That was when the collision happened and laborers who were sitting on the sacks were thrown off. We are still trying to figure out why so many people were packed in those vehicles coming from Delhi and Rajasthan. Those injured have been admitted to hospitals,” senior police officer Jai Narayan Singh said.
“Honourable chief minister has taken note of the unfortunate incident in Auraiya. He has expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the laborers who lost their lives. He 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,” read the statement issued by the office of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Later, CM Yogi took to twitter stating in Hindi “The death of migrant workers in a road accident in Auraiya district is unfortunate and sad. My condolences to the bereaved families. Instructions have been given to ensure relief and medical treatment for those injured. A probe has also been ordered.”
He directed the police to file cases against the owners of the two trucks and seize the vehicles. Further, he also directed that all the injured be provided medical care immediately, and the Commissioner and IG Kanpur to visit the site and submit a report on the cause of the accident. The two station in-charge officers under whose jurisdiction the accident took place have been suspended.
On the other hand, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav demanded that the BJP government should take moral responsibility and compensate these families with Rs 10 lakh each. He further announced that his party will provide a compensation of ₹1 lakh each to the kin of the deceased.
As per sources, the trailer truck was filled with construction material and was traveling from Bharatpur in Rajasthan towards Gorakhpur.
“The road accident in Uttar Pradesh’s Auraiya is extremely tragic. The government is involved in relief work. I express my condolences to the families of those killed in this accident, as well as wish the injured a speedy recovery,” tweeted PM Narendra Modi in Hindi.
This is the third major accident involving migrants. On 8th May, at least 16 migrant workers were crushed to death by a goods train in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. On 11th May, a 26-year-old Sagheer Ansari who was cycling back home to his village in Bihar from Delhi, died after being hit by a speeding SUV in Lucknow. Further, on 14th May, around 14 migrants were killed and nearly 50 injured in two separate road accidents in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
On Friday, the Supreme Court stated that it is impossible for courts to monitor or stop the movement of migrant workers across the country and it is for the government to take necessary action in this regard. Subsequently, the Union ministry of home affairs asked state governments to provide food and shelter to migrant workers if they are found walking on roads and railway tracks, and ensure they board special trains to reach their native places.
