Travel agency owner, bus driver arrested for illegally transporting migrant labourers

Jammu and Kashmir police on Wednesday arrested a travel agency owner and a driver in Samba district for allegedly illegally transporting 128 migrant labourers from Jammu to UP's Kanpur, an official spokesperson said.

All the 128 migrant labourers have been sent to a quarantine centre in Samba district where they have been provided with food, water and shelter, the spokesperson said.

Deputy Commissioner, Samba, Rohit Khajuria during the inspection found that two buses carrying 128 labourers were stationed at Raya Morh near a roadside dhaba.

After detailed enquiry it came to light that the owner of a travel agency, Mahinder Pal Singh, had convinced labourers that he will help in ferrying them from Resham Ghar Colony in Jammu to their native place Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh in his buses. It was also confirmed that the owner had charged Rs 2,600 per head from the labourers for their transportation," the spokesperson said.

The Deputy Commissioner taking cognizance of the matter immediately directed police officers to register a case against the owner of the travel agency and arrest the bus owner along with the driver.

"This a clear case of exploitation of innocent labourers stranded due to the lockdown by the bus owner, Khajuria said.

He directed the labour department, Samba to register all the labourers and establish necessary arrangements immediately regarding their safe travel strictly through government advised protocol. Besides, police has also been directed to initiate the process for returning the money taken by the accused, he said.

The spokesperson said the labourers informed the deputy commissioner that they reached the place Tuesday after boarding the buses for travelling back to their native homes in Uttar Pradesh from Jammu.