Restive Migrant Workers Clash With Police In Surat 

SURAT: Demanding they be sent back home, thousands of agitated migrant workers clashed with the police at Mora village near the industrial town of Hazira in Gujarat's Surat district on Saturday. Police arrested 60 people and over 50 workers were detained in connection with the clash.

The clash comes close on heels of a similar incident had occurred earlier this week in Surat city. The police had to use teargas to disperse the workers after they reportedly pelted stones.

Protesting workers demanded that the district administration arrange for their travel back to their hometowns in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, among others.

Most of these labourers worked in industrial units at Hazira and lived in Mora village.

Police had cordoned off the area and tightened security there.

Surat is a migrant hub in Gujarat and most of them are employed in textiles, power looms and construction sites.

Surat Joint Commissioner of Police DN Patel told a news agency that around 500 to 1,000 people gathered at the site around 8 am. “Reasonable force was used,” he said. “Around 55 to 60 were arrested, and 50 to 60 have also been detained.”

The nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19 which began on March 25 and has been extended till May 17. As the lockdown on March 25 was announced just four hours before, it left scores of migrant labourers stranded across the country. Many have started walking for their homes, as some died along the way and several others forced to return as the states shut their borders.

Although, the Centre is now running ‘Shramik Special’ trains to help migrant labourers reach home, many have left for their native states on foot or their bicycles.

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