'No entry without valid pass'; hundreds of migrant workers gather at Delhi-UP border

Migrant labourers who are stranded in the national capital and wanting to go back to their homes amid Covid-19 imposed lockdown on Sunday gathered in large numbers in Gazipur at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border. According to an official, nobody is allowed to enter the state without a valid pass. 

'We are asking them to take trains or buses'

Speaking to news agency ANI, Prachanda Tyagi, Sub-inspector Uttar Police police said, "There is a large crowd here in Gazipur at the Delhi-UP border. We are asking them to take trains or buses. No person without a valid pass is allowed to enter the state."

The development comes a day after the Auraiya incident in which 24 migrant workers were killed in a road accident. Immediately after the accident, the UP government ordered its District Magistrates to arrange buses for migrant workers who are found walking on foot.

'District Magistrates must strictly comply with these orders'

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday directed suspension of SHOs of two police stations and that stern warning be issued to the circle officers concerned after 24 migrant workers were killed in a road accident near Auraiya. According to a statement issued in Lucknow, the state government has decided to give Rs 2 lakh to the kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 to those seriously injured in the accident. The Chief Minister has also condoled the death of the migrant labourers.

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"Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday directed that SHOs of two police stations located in state's border area be suspended and stern warning be issued to the circle officers concerned. One of the border districts is Agra," UP Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi was quoted as saying in a statement. Orders have also been issued to register a case under relevant sections of the IPC against both the truck owners and to seize the vehicles, he said.

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"The Chief Minister has said that directions have been given to all the border areas to ensure that no person travels by unsafe means such as trucks. Directions have already been issued to keep 200 buses under the disposal of district magistrates in every district of border areas. Funds have also been approved to send the labourers by buses. The district magistrates must strictly comply with these orders," the statement said.

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(With agency inputs)