Migrants travelling to Uttar Pradesh stopped by police at Delhi-Ghazipur border on Thursday. (Express photo: Amit Mehra)
A truck driver was Wednesday night arrested in New Delhi for ferrying 33 migrants under the garb of providing “medicine emergency services”.
DCP (South) Atul Kumar Thakur said, “The truck was stopped during picket checking at South Extension-I. It was covered and there were ropes on all sides. The driver said he was going to supply medicines, but failed to show any papers. Covers were opened and the migrants were found sitting in the truck in inhuman conditions.”
DCP said that during questioning, the migrants disclosed that they lived in Ranhola and Mayapuri area, and hired the truck for Rs 1,800 each to get dropped off at Azamgarh, Mau, Gazipur and Banda in Uttar Pradesh.
The DCP said, “They had paid Rs 20,000 in advance to the truck owner.” A case has been registered against the truck driver, Hari Ram.
Also on Wednesday night, six people were killed when a truck hit them on the National Highway 9 near Delhi. Locals said the deceased were migrants walking to Muzaffarnagar.
“We received information around 11 pm that a group of persons walking on the NH-9 highway had been hit by a bus. On reaching the spot, we were told by locals that the people were migrants, which we are in the process of verifying. Six people were declared dead on arrival at the hospital, while two have been referred to Meerut. A case of negligence will be filed against the driver,” said Anil Kaparvan, SHO Kotwali police station, Muzaffarnagar. The driver left the vehicle behind and fled the spot.
Police identified the dead as Harek Singh (51) and his son Vikas (22), Guddu (18), Vasudev (22), Harish (28) and Virendra (28). Prima facie investigation has revealed the victims were from Bihar.
“The bus was not carrying any passengers at the time. It is possible it was a bus being used for evacuation, since no other public transport is operating at this point,” said Kaparvan.