Ravi, a vegetable vendor in Gurgaon, Haryana, travels with eight others in a cart pulled by a motorbike. The vehicle broke down in Lucknow on Sunday and he had to spend Rs 2,000 for repairs. (Express Photo by Vishal Srivastav)
Two days after the Auraiya accident that led to the death of 27 migrant labourers and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued a warning to officials to ensure that no vehicle carrying migrant workers violates rules, at five more persons died on Monday in two separate accidents in the state.
Three women were killed and seven others injured in Mahoba district on Monday evening after a mini truck in which they were travelling overturned following a tyre burst. There were children in the vehicle, according to the police.
Additional Superintendent of Police Veerendra Kumar said the passengers had been travelling from Delhi, and were given a lift by the truck driver. When the truck reached the Pandwari area, one of its tyres burst and it turned turtle.
The police official said four of those injured sustained serious wounds, and were in critical condition, according to doctors.
Earlier in the day, an SUV carrying 22 migrant workers overturned on the Lucknow-Agra Expressway in Unnao, killing two and leaving 20 others injured.
The vehicle, a Bolero, was on its way to Azamgarh from Delhi.
The dead were identified as Ramjeet (28) and his cousin Surendra Kumar (42), both residents of Azamgarh.
The injured persons, including four women, are undergoing treatment at a hospital where doctors said their condition was stable.
Station House Officer, Beheta Mujhawar police station, RK Singh said, after obtaining permission from the Azamgarh district administration, the vehicle owner, Guddu, had sent it to Delhi on Sunday to bring his relatives, who were stranded there. On Monday, the driver was bringing Guddu’s relatives to Azamgarh.
“When the vehicle reached Beheta town, the driver lost control over it and the Bolero turned turtle,” said Singh.
Passersby informed the police and also took the injured to the hospital.
The driver of the vehicle suffered minor injuries. He added that the victims had migrated to Delhi a long time back and they were roadside vendors.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, meanwhile, ordered intensive patrolling on all major routes of the state, state highways, national highways to check on movement of migrant labourers on foot or bicycle. While instructions have been given to provide free food and drinking water to migrant workers, officials have been asked to make the arrangements at toll plazas on the national highways.
He also announced financial aid of Rs 2 lakh to the family members of those killed in the Unnao accident. He said seriously injured persons would be given Rs 50,000 as compensation.
Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Kumar Awasthi said 7.60 lakh migrant workers have returned to the state in 590 trains, so far. He said maximum trains carrying the migrants have come from Gujarat (275), followed by Maharashtra (140), Punjab (101), Rajasthan (17), Delhi (6), Karnataka (20) among others.
Awasthi said that the CM has again made an appeal to the workers not to travel on foot, two-wheelers or trucks. “Be patient, we are reaching out to all those in need,” said Awasthi.