Gujarat: 96 migrant workers held in Surat after violent clash with police

The Surat police on Monday arrested 96 migrant labourers following a violent clash late on Sunday night with the police. Over a thousand workers, who wanted to go to their natives mostly in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, were stopped by the local police that resulted into the clash.

"We have registered an FIR and arrested 96 persons so far for the clash last night," Surat police commissioner R B Brahmbhatt told DH. He added that the workers were trying to go home defying the lockdown when the clash erupted. In the clash several labourers and policemen sustained injuries.

Police said that more than 1,000 migrant workers had gathered on the road in Vanod under Pandesara police station and were seeking permission to leave the city for their natives in UP, Bihar, Bengal among other places. Police claimed that while they were trying to pacify the labourers not to leave the city as borders are sealed, some "anti-social" elements started throwing stones at the police party. The police also retaliated by charging batons, firing in the air and lobbing tear-gas shells on the mob.

Pandesara and neighbouring Sachin areas in Surat are known for housing majority of the migrant labourers in the city who work mostly in the textile industry. Although police claimed that since the announcement of the lockdown, the local administration has assured that they will not have to pay rent and their food will be taken care of, a large number of people have already left while many others are trying hard to go back home.

"On Sunday night, the group of labourers left their homes but were stopped by the police. They complained that they didn't have money and food. The police assured them that the food will be arranged. In the meantime, workers got angry and started pelting stones at the police that led to chaos," said a local resident who witnessed the incident.

"We are a group of 50 people stuck in Surat. Our employers and contractors have left the town. We have no money to feed ourselves and have been reaching out to people for help. We can't go out as police are standing outside our homes," Rajendra Hembrom, employed in the textile industry, who originally belongs to Giridih in Jharkhand.