Police stop 40 migrant workers from leaving Telangana on foot, assure help during lockdown

Police here stopped close to 40 migrant labourers, who had set off on foot for their native place in Madhya Pradesh, and assured to take care of their shelter and other needs during the extended lockdown phase.

The 40 migrant labourers, who are daily wagers from Madhya Pradesh said they had come to work on the promises of a contractor and were staying near Golkonda Fort area in Hyderabad.

While they had stayed back despite facing hardships during the first phase of the lockdown, the Centre's announcement of extending it further to May 3 had led them to take the decision of attempting to reach their native place on foot. Their decision had also been influenced by their contractor leaving for his native place a few days ago.

"We came here on the promise of a contractor, two days back he asked us to leave along with him. But we stayed back thinking the lockdown will end on April 14. Now the contractor has also left and we have nothing to survive on till May 3. That is why we decided to leave on foot," one of the migrant workers told reporters here.

Another worker, a woman, said, "We have kids with us, we want to return home. Who will feed us all this while?"

However, the police team intercepted them and appealed to them to stay back informing them that no state will allow them to enter its boundaries while the lockdown is in place

Inspector K Srinivas of Lunger House police station, speaking to ANI said, "A petrol car and mobile vehicle noticed around 40 people along with their luggage moving on the road. Upon enquiry, they said they are migrant workers. Till now they had been staying near Golkonda Fort area."

"We informed them that no state will allow them to enter nor will Telangana allow them to move out. We have taken the responsibility to provide them all the essentials during this lockdown period," he added.

"These people are not leaving because of lack of essentials but due to concern over their parents, as nobody is present in their native places to take care of them as per their account," the police official further said.

Migrant workers, working in big cities around the country, have been attempting to return to their native places due to a wide number of issues, ranging from safety, fund crunch and lack of resources, among others during the lockdown imposed in the country to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which has inadvertently led to the closure of their sources of income.

The 21-day nationwide lockdown, which was to end on Tuesday, has been extended till May 3.