16 tired migrant workers run over by goods train in sleep
AURANGABAD/NEW DELHI: Sixteen migrant
labourers were crushed to death early on Friday by a goods train in Maharashtra after they fell asleep on the tracks.
The accident happened between Jalna and Aurangabad in the Nanded Division of South Central Railway in Karmad police station area, around 30 km from Aurangabad.
The migrant labourers, who had been walking for several kilometres, were sleeping on the rail tracks when the mishap occurred, the Railway officials said.
The Railways announced a comprehensive probe into the accident which took place at 5.15 am. A viral video clip from the scene of the tragedy shows the bodies of migrant workers
lying on the tracks and nearby with their meagre personal belongings scattered all around.
District police chief Mokshada Patil said three of the four survivors had tried in vain to wake up their colleagues who had slept on the tracks after an overnight walk from Jalna, around 40 km from the accident spot.
The workers, who were walking to Bhusawal from Jalna along rail tracks, were returning to their home state Madhya Pradesh, an official at the Karmad police station said.
“The labourers, working in a steel factory in Jalna, left for their home state on foot last night. They came till Karmad and slept off on the tracks as they were tired,” another police official said.
Three of the four survivors were sleeping some distance away from the rail tracks, police said.
The migrant workers, rendered jobless due to the Coronavirus-enforced lockdown and desperate to go to their native places, were walking along the rail tracks apparently to escape police attention.
The survivors had frantically raised alarm to alert their group members sleeping on the tracks about the approaching freight train, police said. Chilling details emerged about the tragedy as survivors recounted the events.
“A group of 20 stranded labourers started walking from Jalna. They decided to take rest and most of them lied on rail tracks. Three of them were taking rest in a nearby plain area.
After some time, these three saw a goods train coming and immediately raised the alarm but it went unheard,” Patil said.
“This is an unfortunate incident. Out of the 20 people, 16 died, one is injured and three are with us. A case has been registered at the Karmad police station,” she added.
Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety Shailesh Pathak wrote to the Railway Board Chairman, calling for abundant caution and requesting him to issue instructions to ensure that such an accident does not recur.
Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh governments announced financial aid of Rs 10 lakh — Rs 5 lakh each — to families of the deceased.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan appealed to stranded migrant workers to stay wherever they are.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed anguish over the death of 14 migrant workers in the train accident. He said all possible assistance is being provided.
President Ram Nath Kovind said he was saddened beyond words over the deaths of 16 migrant workers, while Vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu said he was deeply saddened to learn about the loss of lives in the accident.