Migrant Workers Returning Home From Maharashtra Allege Extortion By Police

As the second wave of Covid-19 compelled Maharashtra government to impose Section 144 in the state from Wednesday (14 April), migrant workers are returning from Maharashtra to their native places in Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.

The migrant workers returning to their homes are complaining about extortions at the hands of Maharashtra police, reports Hindustan Times.

"We are returning to our homes because there was the problem of earning livelihood after curfew announcement. I had migrated back last year also during lockdown but returned after the situation improved. This time too, like last year, the police extorted heavily from us," a taxi driver said.

"We are coming from Pune. There a Travellers bus took ₹2,500-3000 per ticket from them. Still, they made us get off the bus at the Maharashtra border and crammed into two loading jeeps. The Police and transport department at the Border Checking Point overlooked the jeeps,” Sanaullah Khan, a worker returning from Maharashtra said.

A day after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced the imposition of section 144 in Maharashtra from 8 PM of 14 April, a huge crowd was seen on Wednesday (14 April) waiting to board the long- distance trains at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Mumbai.

On Tuesday (13 April), Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in an address announced the imposition of section 144 in Maharashtra from 14 April.

Under this section 144, all the establishments will be shut down in the state except for essential services which will run from 7 AM to 8 PM. The public transport will ply only for essential workers and the general public can only avail it in case of an emergency. Only takeaway and home deliveries from restaurants will be allowed, dining will remain closed.