E-Paper
Migrant workers leave for native places on foot
Eyewitnesses said that they saw people with backpacks on two wheelers leaving as early as 3 am for their native places. However, none of them were stopped by the police or the administration.
Many migrant workers residing in Pune began leaving for their native places on foot, cycles and motorcycles on Friday without caring for the lockdown, police action and COVID disease outbreak.
Eyewitnesses said that they saw people with backpacks on two wheelers leaving as early as 3 am for their native places. However, none of them were stopped by the police or the administration.
A family of seven labourers belonging to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh was found walking in blistering sun towards their destination near Lullanagar chowk .
When inquired , the family members said that they were fed up with the lockdown and no state help forthcoming, they decided to scale the mammoth distance on foot.
“ Idhar bhi marna hain and udhar bhi. Isse accha hain ki gaon jakar mare ( Whether it is here or there , we have to die. Its better that we die at our native place) ,” said Raju Paswan, one of the family members who carried a two year old baby on his shoulders covered in a piece of cloth.
Another of his relative who identified as Sanjay Singh said “ We hoped that things will improve but nothing has improved. So we are going to Gorakhpur on foot ,” he said.
Arunkumar Yadav, a resident of Baner who left for Moradabad on his two wheeler said “ There is no need to fear anybody. My parents need me as they are alone. Police and government cannot understand the problems of the people. Now we are on our own and we will reach our destinations by hook or cook ,” he said.
