JOIN USDelhi Police seizes truck headed to MP with 25 migrant labourers amid coronavirus lockdown
A truck carrying 25 migrant labourers, including seven minors, going to Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur in violation of lockdown was seized in South Delhi's Kotla Mubarakpur, police said on Sunday.
They said they apprehended the driver, Om Prakash (48), and his helper, Manoj (27), while sent the labourers to shelter homes.
"A case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and section 3 of the Epidemic Act has been registered against the driver and the helper. The truck has been seized,” said Atul Kumar Thakur, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South).
The truck was stopped for picket checking in South Extension area around 10.30 pm on Saturday, and on checking 25 people were found either sleeping or sitting inside it along with their luggage, he said.
"During interrogation, it was revealed that all the 27 persons including the driver and the helper hailed from Chattarpur District, Madhya Pradesh,” Thakur said.
“These labourers were residing in Narela, Bawana, Rithala and Indira Gandhi Camp, Lodhi Road. They worked at private construction sites in these respective areas in Delhi on daily wages," he said.
The labourers said they decided to travel to their hometown after coming to know through their contacts that a truck would come from Chattarpur (MP) to Delhi with some good and would return after unloading, the DCP said.
“They contacted the driver who unloaded the goods in Narela on Saturday morning. The driver asked them to pay Rs 1,000 per person in lieu of dropping them at Chattarpur, MP,” he said.
Nine people boarded the truck from Narela and six from Karnal bypass, the officer said.
Thereafter, the driver took the Ring Road route and picked up 10 people from near Safdarjung and AIIMS hospitals, he added.
All the labourers including their children have been sent to a shelter home in Fatehpur Beri, the DCP said.
Meanwhile, in south Delhi's Sangam Vihar, police received information that 20 families of migrant labourers were running out of ration and were planning to leave Delhi.
Their contact person, Vijender Chaudhary, was contacted and all the 20 families of labours were heard in person for any other issue like rent or medicines, police said.
They said the families were provided with dry ration and were convinced to stay in their rented accommodation and contact police in case of any emergency.