Migrants Waited For Train to Take Them Home, Not Mow Them Down

According to reports, the deceased labourers had slept on the rail tracks.

Migrant workers waited for the train to take them home, not mow them down.

(Illustration: Aroop Mishra)

In what has come as another horrific incident, adding to the woes of the migrant workers and their families, 16 migrants workers were mowed down by an empty freight train in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad district in the early hours of Friday, 8 May.

While 14 of them died on the spot, two of them later succumbed to injuries. This comes at a time when distressing and recurrent news of migrants walking back home, breadwinners of their family losing their lives, and conflicting reports around special trains emerge every day.

According to reports, the deceased labourers slept on the rail tracks. An official at the Karmad police station told PTI that the workers, who were walking to Bhusawal from Jalna, were returning to Madhya Pradesh.

(Illustration: Aroop Mishra)

The incident, that took place around 5:15 am between Jalna and Aurangabad of Nanded Division of South Central Railway, has left the nation shocked, fuelling debate on who was at fault, and where the onus lies.

Meanwhile, the Railway Ministry said that an inquiry has been ordered into the incident. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased, reported ANI.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI)