Sixteen migrant workers, all aged between 20-35 years, who were returning to their home state Madhya Pradesh on foot, were run over by a goods train in Aurangabad. Three others were injured. The mishap occurred between Badnapur and Karmad stations.
The workers, who were employed at a steel processing unit in Jalna, chose to sleep on the tracks for the night. They were mowed down a little after 5 am.
The governments of Maharashtra and MP have announced compensation to the next of kin. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed anguish over the deaths. President Ram Nath Kovind said he was saddened beyond words. Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu said he was deeply saddened.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the treatment meted out to “nation-builders” was shameful. Aurangabad MP Imtiaz Jaleel of the AIMIM called it “murder” of migrant workers. Jaleel demanded that criminal cases be filed against the Prime Minister’s Office, the Railway Ministry and the Maharashtra Government for “ignoring the plight of thousands of stranded workers”.
