Margao: Sixty one migrant labourers out of the total 64, who were sent to their native places in Karnataka by Kadamba Transport Corporation buses on Wednesday, had to be brought back to the Navelim shelter home after they were denied entry into the neighbouring state by the Karnataka police.

According to sources, the entry was denied, as Davangere, Bhatkal and Haveri areas in the neighbouring state have turned red zones from the earlier green zones following reports of positive COVID-19 cases.

South Goa District Collector Ajit Roy said that the 64 migrants were denied entry also because they did not possess Aadhaar card.  Roy shifted the migrants back to the Navelim shelter.

Three migrants were allowed entry into Karwar from where they walked home. “We have completed the entire process. COVID-19 negative certificate has also been given to them after proper examination,” said a source in the Collectorate.

Around 323 migrant labourers from different states have been provided shelter at the Manohar Parrikar indoor stadium in Navelim since the first phase of the countrywide lockdown.

After completing the process for transporting the migrants to their native places, 64 migrants from Karnataka were sent to their native places in three KTC buses on Wednesday.

Sources informed this daily that the migrants, who were denied entry into Karnataka, were asked to put up in a camp at the border for a few days. However, the authorities did not take risk, as the migrants have tested negative for COVID and decided to shift them at the Navelim shelter.