Aurangabad Train Accident: 16 migrant workers sleeping on tracks run over by goods train in Maharashtra; railway ministry orders inquiry

Sixteen migrant workers were killed after being run over by a goods train in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad district on Friday, according to several media reports. The workers, who were walking to Bhusawal from Jalna, were returning to Madhya Pradesh, an official at the Karmad police station told PTI. They had been walking along the rail tracks and slept on the rail tracks due to exhaustion, he said. They were mowed down by the train at 5.15 am, the official added. As per a report in The Times of India, these workers were employed at a major steel plant in Jalna. ANI reported that another five workers were injured and that they had been shifted to Aurangabad civil hospital.

Four of the survivors, who are in shock, are being counselled by the police, senior police officer Mokshada Patil told NDTV. The fifth survivor has been admitted to hospital with injuries. Former Maharashtra speaker Haribhau Bagde, who is also the MLA from Phulambri, visited the accident site, as per the report. The driver tried to stop the freight train when he saw the labourers on the tracks in Maharashtra, the railway ministry said, adding it had ordered an inquiry. Reuters reported. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to express his anguish over the incident:

Extremely anguished by the loss of lives due to the rail accident in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Have spoken to Railway Minister Shri Piyush Goyal and he is closely monitoring the situation. All possible assistance required is being provided.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 8, 2020

“I have just heard the sad news about labourers coming under the train, rescue work is underway,” Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said on Twitter. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan offered his condolences to the families of the victims and announced Rs 5 lakh as compensation, NDTV further reported. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla took to Twitter to call the incident “tragic and unfortunate.”

महाराष्ट्र #औरंगाबाद जालना रेलवे लाइन पर प्रवासी मजदूरों की दर्दनाक मृत्यु अत्यंत दुखद एवम दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण है। मृतकों को श्रद्धांजलि। ईश्वर मृतकों को अपने चरणों में स्थान दे। घायलों के जल्द स्वस्थ होने की कामना करता हूँ।

— Om Birla (@ombirlakota) May 8, 2020

Under the lockdown, all public transport has been suspended so migrant workers heading home often have to walk long distances to get there. The government has extended the lockdown until 17 May. RPF and local police are on the spot, as per ANI. More details are awaited. With inputs from agencies