Workers believe fake msg, throng Mangaluru Central station

Hundreds of migrant labourers from North India gathered at Mangalore Central Railway Station believing the fake messages on social media that trains were being operated to their native states.

Many labourers from North India, especially from Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, who are stranded in different parts of the district had reached Mangaluru by travelling in autorickshaws, lorries, trucks and other vehicles eager to board trains to their native states. On reaching the railway station, they were disappointed as there were no trains.

Railway and Pandeshwar police tried to convince them to go back to their camps. But the workers were reluctant to leave and were holding a placard that they want to go back to their homes. A few of the stranded labourers from Jharkhand, Assam and other North Indian states had on Thursday started a post card campaign seeking government's help to reach their native places.

For latest updates on coronavirus outbreak, click here

Mangaluru Assistant Commissioner Madan Mohan, who held talks with the labourers, said that the government was making all the arrangements.

“If the labourers had any problem with the owners of the houses, where they were staying, it can be solved. Necessary food kits will also be supplied. Arrangements will be made for their travel within a few days.”

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Dr P S Harsha, who rushed to the spot, promised to make arrangement to send them back to their native places within a few days. Later, all the labourers were sent back to Derebail, Nanthoor, Kuloor and Surathkal in KSRTC buses. MLC Ivan D'Souza, who visited the spot, convinced labourers to withdraw protest and urged Deputy Commissioner to make arrangement for supply of food.

Meanwhile, BJP state president and Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel appealed to Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and Railway Minister of State Suresh Angadi to make arrangement for trains to operate from Mangaluru to send back the stranded labourers. There are 3,500 labourers from various parts of the country. Since the lockdown, they are eager to get back their native villages.

Labourers from Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Bengal and other states have already registered with Seva Sindhu portal of the Karnataka government to travel outside the state. As there are no transportation facilities there is a need to arrange train services, he stated in letters to the ministers.