18 migrant workers held for cycling from Noida to Bihar

Eighteen migrant workers who were cycling from Noida to Bihar were sent to a shelter home by the Badalpur police on Friday. The police booked them for violating

Eighteen migrant workers who were cycling from Noida to Bihar were sent to a shelter home by the Badalpur police on Friday. The police booked them for violating the lockdown norms and seized their bicycles as well.

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Patneesh Kumar, station house officer, Badalpur police station, said the workers were stopped near Patwari Bagh area in Badalpur around 1pm. “The workers were not wearing masks. They were keen on continuing their cycle journey to their home towns. We informed them that this is not only illegal but also unsafe,” he said. Most of the workers are from Purnia and Katihar, in Bihar.

“The workers were taken to a shelter home. We have registered a case against them under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act 2005.”

Kumar said the Gautam Budh Nagar district administration is making arrangements to send the stranded migrants to their home towns. “We will arrange some buses and send them home accordingly, till then they will stay in the shelter home,” he said.

Meanwhile, a group of migrant workers also gathered near Sector Delta 1 in Surajpur area of Greater Noida Saturday morning and demanded the local administration to facilitate their journey to Bihar. The workers, who all live in rented homes in Bhiraundi village, alleged that their landlords were pressuring them to pay rent. The workers said they had run out of money after the nationwide lockdown was imposed, and can’t afford to buy food as well.

Raju Kumar, a worker, said survival had become difficult in this lockdown for many like him. “Someone told us that the administration is going to arrange buses for Bihar, hence we came here (Sector Delta 1). We want to go back home as staying in Noida has become difficult,” he said.

A team from Surajpur police reached the spot after getting information about the gathering. Pradeep Tripathi, station house officer, Surajpur police station, said the migrant workers were provided cooked meals and dry ration. “We have taken down their names and addresses. The police and the district administration will soon arrange some buses and send them home,” he said.

The crowd dispersed after the police assured the workers they will be sent back home in a few days.