Chaos, batons and probe: Bandra mirrors the pain of migrants

Chaos in Mumbai's Bandra mirrors the distress of lakhs of migrant workers across the nation

Nearly 1000 jobless migrant workers gathered outside a railway station in Mumbai’s Bandra on Tuesday

Hours after PM extended the lockdown to May 3, these home-sick workers lost patience

They gathered outside the station, demanding for trains to take them home.

Mumbai Police baton-charged the protesting migrant workers, mostly from UP and West Bengal

The whole chaos lasted for more than two hours on Tuesday afternoon

Bandra Police has filed a FIR against 700 unidentified persons

The Navi Mumbai Police detained an Airoli resident for allegedly uploading a video on social media

This video according to the police may have helped spread the rumours.

Most of the daily wagers complain of lack of food and shelter in the pandemic hit state

Thousands of workers are left with no money and food, hence want to reach home

These migrants were waiting for the lockdown to end so that they could go back home

After the lockdown  extension, these labourers are worried about their survival

Rumours about a special train running for migrants triggered the chaos

Migrants say, they have spent their savings during the first phase of the lockdown

These migrants demand arrangements to reach back to their native places

What happened in Bandra was also seen in the rioting in Surat

These incidents are a result of the centre not being able to take a call on arranging a way back home for migrant labour.

More than food or shelter, these workers want to be with their family back home in the time of distress.