A group of migrant workers, originally working in a steel factory in Jalna, Maharashtra, left for their home state of Madhya Pradesh on foot yesterday. After walking for many
kilometers, they felt exhausted and fell asleep on the railway tracks, where they were run
over by a goods train. This led to the loss of 14 lives and 2 injuries, while 3 laborers
belonging to the same group escaped unscathed as they were sleeping a certain distance
away.
The migrant workers were walking on the tracks so as to not attract police attention and get in trouble as they made their way home. While the state governments of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh has announced a financial compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased, this incident was clearly avoidable if there had been better management and inter-state cooperation regarding the travelling provisions of migrant labourers.
The migrant workers were walking on the tracks so as to not attract police attention and get in trouble as they made their way home. While the state governments of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh has announced a financial compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased, this incident was clearly avoidable if there had been better management and inter-state cooperation regarding the travelling provisions of migrant labourers.
Krishaang Kohli
Grade XII, Manav Rachna International School, Gurgaon
Krishaang is a curious and ambitious young man who wants to make a change in the world
and leave his mark. An out and out feminist, he is a published writer and has taken part in and
won many debates and group discussion competitions at all levels (from school to
international).
