Failed to return home, 24 migrants died on road

Lucknow : Taking disciplinary action in the Auraiya road accident that claimed the lives of at least 24 migrant labourers, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday suspended two border police officials and also asked the authorities to issue strict warnings to the lawbreakers within their jurisdiction.

The Chief Minister sought an explanation from senior police officials from Agra and Mathura, about the horrifying incident. Besides, the ADG and IG Agra have also been asked for explanations.

Yogi also pulled up the authorities for failing to act against the violators amid the COVID-19 lockdown. He ordered them to sue the truck owners and drivers responsible for the accident, besides, impounding their vehicles.

The Chief Minister directed all the border check posts and District Magistrates to keep a strict vigil on violators and infiltrators. He said that already 200 buses have been deployed in each of the border districts to help migrants reach their homes.

As many as 24 migrant workers were killed and 20 seriously injured in the collision between the mini-truck and a trolley in UP’s Auraiya district, early on Saturday morning.

The incident took place on the national highway at Mihauli under Kotwali police circle when the trolley rammed into a stationary mini-truck. After the incident, Yogi announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to the injured.

In another such incident, five migrant workers died in an accident on Saturday in Madhya Pradesh when their truck overturned on the Sagar-Chhatarpur road. Eighteen co-passengers were injured in the incident.

According to police, on Saturday morning the cargo truck was going from Sagar to Chhatarpur. The driver lost control of the vehicle near Semra Bridge and it overturned there.