Chaos as migrant workers throng Mangaluru Central Railway Station

MANGALURU: Chaos erupted at Mangaluru Central Railway Station on Friday after more than 1,000 migrant workers hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam and Bihar grouped at the station falling prey to a rumour that train services were available for them to return home.
The situation further got aggravated when police tried to arrest a person arguing with them and others got into altercation with the police. Later, all migrants sat in dharna holding posters that they want to go home. There was absolutely no social distancing and norms of lockdown have been violated.

Though officials from the police, railway and district administration tried to pacify the migrants that their issues of rents and food would be solved, the migrants did not budge initially. Finally, city police commissioner P S Harsha, deputy commissioners of police Lakshmi Ganesh, Arunamshu Giri and assistant commissioner Madan Mohan managed to pacify migrant labourers. Railway officials too informed them that there are no trains leaving from Mangaluru Central Railway station.

Commissioner Harsha said, “You have waited so many days. Please wait for few more days. We will make arrangements to send you back to your villages once arrangements are made. We will inform you the details your journey within three days.”

Migrant labourers from Kuloor, Kunjathbail, Nanthoor, Surathkal and other places in the city arrived at the railway station by 6.30am after receiving a message that the government has arranged train service on Friday. Majority of them are construction workers and other daily wage labourers, who were jobless after the lockdown.

Migrant labourers poured out their woes that they are jobless with no money to buy food and pay rent. Police officials promised action against building owners in case they harass migrant labourers for rent. They also offered food till their travel arrangements are made.
After nearly two hours of protest, migrant labourers returned to their camps.