Angry migrants run riot in Surat, set carts on fire
SURAT: Migrant workers stranded in Surat allegedly torched vegetable carts and damaged vehicles while demanding payment of wages and the permission to return home on Friday night, officials said. At least 81 people have been arrested.
JAIPUR/SURAT: Stranded migrant workers turned violent in Surat on Friday night, allegedly torching vegetable carts and damaging vehicles while demanding the payment of wages and permission to return home, according to government officials and the city police on Saturday.
At least 81 people, mostly migrant workers from Orissa, were arrested by the Surat city police on charges of rioting and violating the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897. This is second such incident in Surat since the nationwide lockdown was announced on March 25 .
On March 30, over 90 migrant labourers were arrested in Surat for allegedly attacking police personnel while protesting against being barred from returning to their villages.
According to police officers, at least 100 people, all migrant workers, came out on Friday night on the streets of Surat’s Laskana area, where they torched at least five vegetable carts and damaged three vehicles.
“At least five hand carts were torched and stones were pelted on locals by the workers who came out on streets fearing that the lockdown would be extended. As soon as police came to know about the incident, additional police force was sent to spot and situation was brought under control by 8.15pm. Also, 35 labourers were detained,” said RB Brahmabhatt, Surat’s commissioner of police . He said no one sustained injuries and, after the incident, more than 400 policemen were deployed in Laskana and adjacent localities, Diamond Nagar and Vipul Nagar, where a large number of migrants workers live.
“After the situation was brought under control, around 45 more people were detained, and a total of 81 people were arrested...,” Brahmabhatt added.
Bansidhar Lenaka, general secretary of Jagganathpuri Charitable Trust, which looks into the issues of migrant workers in the industrial city, said,“There are around 25,000 people, just form Orissa, who are working in embroidery units and textile factories.. since the lockdown, half of the workers have not got their salaries and others have got only 50% or lesser amount.” The Surat factories association held a meeting with district authorities. “We got nothing other than assurances,” Lenaka said.
Surat district collector Dhaval Patel said, “The issue is more psychological one... They are afraid that if the lockdown is extended they won’t be able to go home.”