Migrants' protest in Mumbai:TV journalist held for news report

A television journalist was arrested from here on Wednesday over his report on resumption of special trains, which might have prompted gathering of migrant workers in suburban Bandra on Tuesday amidst the coronavirus lockdown, a police official said.

The accused, Rahul Kulkarni, was detained in Osmanabad in Marathwada region, where he is based, and brought to Mumbai where he was formally arrested.

The arrest of Kulkarni, who works with a Marathi news channel, was announced by state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on his Twitter handle.

"Police arrested journalist Rahul Kulkarni for giving news report, due to which rumour was spread," Deshmukh tweeted.

In a recent news report, Kulkarni said Jan Sadharan special trains would resume for people stranded due to the lockdown, the police official said.

He has been booked under IPC Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant and 269, 270 (negligent, malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 117 (abetting commission of offence by public), the official said.

More than 1,000 migrant workers, most of them from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, gathered near Bandra railway station here on Tuesday afternoon.

They were demanding that the state government make transport arrangements so that they can go back to their native towns and villages.