Truck driver land in trouble for trying to transport migrant workers from Delhi to MP

Driver Om Prakash (47) and helper Manoj (27) were arrested in south Delhi on Saturday late night after they tried to leave Delhi for Madhya Pradesh

A truck driver and his helper thought of earning some quick money during this COVID-19 season by transporting desperate migrant labourers from the national capital to their homes in Madhya Pradesh but drove straight into a police net.

Driver Om Prakash (47) and helper Manoj (27) were arrested in south Delhi on Saturday late night after they tried to leave Delhi for Chhattarpur in Madhya Pradesh with 25 migrant labourers, including eight women and seven children, in their truck.

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Om Prakash drove a truck loaded with goods to Delhi from Madhya Chhattarpur on Saturday morning and was to return late in the day. The COVID-19 lockdown norms allow plying of trucks for goods movement but no persons other than driver and a helper are allowed in the vehicle

On Saturday, the group of labourers came to know that a truck would be coming from their home town and would leave later. They were daily wagers and were staying at construction sites in Narela, Bawana, Rithala and Indira Gandhi Camp, Lodhi Road.

They managed to contact Om Prakash who promised them to take them to Chhattarpur but demanded Rs 1,000 per person whom he will be transporting. A large number of migrant workers are stranded across the capital and most of them want to return to their villages as their income has dried up.

Later in the night, Om Prakash started his return journey with the labourers joining him -- first a group of nine from Narela, followed by six from Karnal bypass and ten others joined them from near AIIMS hospital.

However, the truck was intercepted soon after at South Extension in south Delhi at around 10:30 pm. The labourers were found sitting inside the truck along with their luggage.

Suspicion of the police personnel at the picket arose as Om Prakash attempted to mislead them. However, sustained questioning made Om Prakash to spill the beans.

The driver and the helper were arrested from the spot and slapped with a case under sections of Indian Penal Code and Epidemic Act. The labourers and children sent to a shelter home in Fatehpur Bheri, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Atul Kumar said.