Chaos ensued in Surat, Gujarat, on Monday, 4 May, as a huge crowd of migrant workers, desperate to go home, pelted stones at the police in Kadodara area, following which the cops fired tear gas shells.
The protests in Surat continued even as the state government geared up to facilitate inter-state movements of the migrant workers, as directed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The migrant workers were reportedly frustrated due to the inefficient management by authorities, which led to them losing their patience.
The workers gathered in the street, and shouted in unison; moments later, when the police arrived on the spot, the migrants can be seen picking up stones and hurling them at the police.
At least 100 were detained, two policemen were injured and several vehicles were damaged, reported The Indian Express. In another incident, 20 people were detained from Surat’s Palanpur area for coming out on the streets to protest.
The incident comes days after a policeman was injured when some locals allegedly pelted stones at security personnel who were trying to enforce lockdown in Surat on 28 April.
In another incident on the same day, labourers pelted stones at the office of Diamond Bourse, “alleging that they were made to work amid the coronavirus lockdown,” ANI had reported.
The government on Labour day, 1 May, allowed the use of special trains to ferry the stranded migrants, students etc, to their homes, but reports of charging a fare from the migrants and gross mismanagement have led to criticism.
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