Migrant workers lathi-charged
Migrant workers at the relief camp in Vijayawada Club at Tadepalli were lathicharged on Saturday when they tried to resume their journey to their native places in UP, Odisha, Jharkhand and other north Indian states.
According to reports, nearly 600 migrant workers coming from Chennai by walk and on bicycles had been given shelter at the relief camp. On Friday night, AP chief secretary Nilam Sawhney interacted with the migrants and directed officials to arrange transportation for them.
However, on Saturday morning, migrant workers wanted to resume their journey while the police did not allow them. As adamant workers turned restive and wanted to leave at any cost, police resorted to lathi-charge. The migrants were later move back to the relief camp with assurance that they would be provided proper transportation.
The workers have lamented that no one objected or stopped them on their way from Chennai till Vijayawada. But they are now stuck. They deplored that neither state governments nor the central government are making any arrangements for their return. Under the circumstances, they should be at least allowed to walk or cycle to their native places, they maintained.
Visuals of police lathicharging migrant workers have gone viral on social media platforms. Mangalagiri deputy superintendent of police D. Durga Prasad refuted allegations that police behaved rudely with migrant workers. He said police had asked them to remain in the relief camp at Vijayawada Club. But the adamant migrants forced themselves onto the highway to resume their journey. Police kept requesting the migrant workers to remain in the relief camp till transport arrangements are made for their return journey. But they remained adamant.
Police thus had to make a show of force. The DSP assured that all migrant workers would be sent back to their native places by arranging trains in a day or two. Until then, police will provide them food and shelter as directed by higher officials.
● ACCORDING TO reports, nearly 600 migrant workers coming from Chennai by walk and on bicycles had been given shelter at the relief camp
● POLICE KEPT requesting the migrant workers to remain in the relief camp till transport arrangements are made for their return journey.