At least 16 migrant labourers, hailing from Madhya Pradesh, who were sleeping on rail tracks were crushed to death after a freight train ran over them on a track between Jalna and Aurangabad districts, nearly 260 km from Pune.
According to local police authorities, one other was seriously injured while three more escaped in the gruesome accident, which occurred under the jurisdiction of Karmad police station in Aurangabad.
“At around 5:15 a.m., a freight train ran over some labourers in a rail track near Karmad, killing 16 of them. One of them is injured and we are councilling three others who fortunately escaped the tragedy to understand what exactly transpired,” said Mokshada Patil, Superintendent of Police (Aurangabad Rural).
Disturbing scenes were witnessed in Karmad as police authorities and rescue teams were seen collecting parts of the mutilated bodies of the deceased labourers, which lay strewn along the bloodied railway tracks.
The migrants aged between 20 and 35 years, were labourers from Umarya and Shahdol (in Madhya Pradesh) and worked at SRG Company in Jalna, Maharashtra.
Police inspect at the spot where 14 migrant workers from Madhya Pradesh were run over by a goods train early on Friday morning. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“During early hours today after seeing some labourers on track, loco pilot of goods train tried to stop the train but eventually hit them between Badnapur and Karmad stations in Parbhani-Manmad section. The injured have been taken to Aurangabad Civil Hospital. [An] Inquiry has been ordered,” read a tweet from the official handle of the Ministry of Railways.
According to the survivors, the Railways said, they had left Jalna at around 7 in the evening and walked on road initially up to Badnapore and later started walking on the tracks towards Aurangabad. After walking for about 36 km, they sat on the tracks to rest and gradually slept.
"The freight train had empty petroleum containers and it was on its way to Panewadi in Manmad. After the incident the train was halted at the next station," Chief Public Relations Officer, South Central Railways, said.
Ex-gratia
The Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led Madhya Pradesh government has announced Rs. 5 lakh ex gratia as compensation for the deceased labourers. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has also announced Rs. 5 lakh ex-gratia to the families of the 16 migrant workers.
"Talks are on with the Center to run as many trains as possible for migrant workers and labourers and arrangements will be made for all to return to their homes soon," Mr. Thackeray said appealing to the migrants not to lose patience.
“Extremely anguished by the loss of lives due to the rail accident in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Have spoken to Railway Minister Shri Piyush Goyal and he is closely monitoring the situation. All possible assistance required is being provided,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.
Expressing his anguish over the incident, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said that relief operations were underway and that he had ordered an inquiry into the accident.
Meanwhile, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Jalna MP Raosaheb Danve said he was on his way to the district to ascertain what compelled the labourers to begin walking to their hometowns despite the Maharashtra government having started transport of labourers via Shramik trains.
“I cannot comment on the incident except to say it is deeply disturbing. I am on my way to Jalna to find out whether or not the labourers were being given adequate food during the lockdown period. I know of companies that have housed and fed their migrant workers,” Mr. Danve told a vernacular news channel.