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2 trucks ferrying migrants illegally to UP, Bihar seized
According to the police, none of the labourers were wearing masks and social distancing norms were being flouted.
The Ludhiana police on Sunday seized two trucks illegally ferrying labourers to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The truck drivers had allegedly charged Rs 3,500 from each labourer for taking them to their native places. According to the police, none of the labourers were wearing masks and social distancing norms were being flouted.
While one case was registered at the Basti Jodhewal police station, the other was at Focal point station. A truck driver and a middleman were arrested.
Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Gurbachan Singh, who is investigating the case, said that he was on patrolling duty, when he noticed a truck ferrying labourers. When he signalled the truck to stop, the driver fled from the spot leaving the vehicle behind.
Following this, the labourers started walking towards Jalandhar Bypass. The ASI managed to stop five labourers, who told him that the truck driver was ferrying them to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in his truck. There were more 45 labourers in the truck apart from them.
The middleman had charged Rs 3,500 from each labourer for taking them to their native palaces. Following the information provided by the labourers, police have arrested Rajiv Kumar of Dhandhari Kalan. A case under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the accused at Basti Jodhewal police station. The driver of the truck in thus case is yet to be arrested.
He added that the government has made arrangements to send labourers to their native places in trains and buses, but fraudsters are fleecing labourers in the name of ferrying them to their homes.
In the second case, the Focal Point police arrested truck driver Amar Singh of Prem Nagar of Lohara road. ASI Rajinderpal Singh, who is investigating the case, said that the truck was stopped for checking near Ganpati Chowk following a tip-off. It was covered with tarpaulin sheets at the time. Upon checking, police found 35 migrant labourers in the truck. The labourers told police that the truck driver was ferrying them to their native places in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
The labourers also told that the driver had charged Rs. 3,500 from each passenger.
The ASI added that a case under Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act has been registered against the driver at the Focal Point police station.
