Maoist prone blocks of Bokaro seeing surge of migrants returning on foot, cycles and bikes

Bokaro: An administrative team stopped four persons, who were coming from Mumbai riding two motorbikes, at a checkpoint in Petarwar block on National Highway-24 here on Friday morning. The men were later released and allowed to go to their homes in Nawadih block after a medical screening. They rode about 1,800 kms between Mumbai and Bokaro in five days. On Saturday night, five persons reached Gomia block from Mumbai on bicycles after pedalling for about 15 days.
As migrants are returning home across the country, Maoist-prone blocks, especially Gomia and Nawadih in Bokaro, are witnessing many people come back on cycles, bikes or even on foot, after failing to get government help.
According to data from the administration, about 6,000 migrant workers and others are expected to arrive in Gomia, while 3,500 persons might return to Nawadih.
A magistrate deployed at Petarwar checking point, Hari Prasad, said, “Around 5am, I saw four persons on two motorbikes. They were all below 40 years. When questioned, they said that they were working in a private firm in Mumbai that got closed during the lockdown. They, therefore, wanted to return to Nawadih. They were checked by a medical team and found healthy. They have been sent to home quarantine.”
He added, “At the checking point, I regularly see people coming from far off places on foot, bicycles and motorbikes. We provide them with food and sometimes shelter during the night. Most of them are migrant workers who have lost their jobs and have exhausted their money. A few days ago, another group was caught while travelling from Chhattisgarh to West Bengal on cycles.”
The five who came to Gomia on cycles from Raigad in Maharastra began their journey on April 25. They were all aged between 24 and 27. A member of the group, Tekochand Kumar Mahto, said “Our money got exhausted and we found it hard to survive there. Finding no avenues of employment during the lockdown, we decided to come back home.”
Bokaro DC Mukesh Kumar said that they have set up check points on roads entering the district. The commuters will have to undergo thermal screening while entering the district.