Hundreds of labourers on Wednesday thronged outside KG Halli police station demanding information on when they would get a berth on a train to go back to their home towns. The labourers sat in front of the station even as the police tried to convince them that they had no information on the seat bookings.
“We’ve been waiting for three days for an update. We submitted our details on the Seva Sindhu portal but there has been no response. We want to go home,” said Asif Iqbal, 30, one of the labourers. Mr. Iqbal is among the 200 labourers from Bihar and West Bengal staying in KG Halli. “We have no work, no roof over our heads, and nothing to eat,” he added.
As the situation grew tense, a group of volunteers arrived at the spot and tried to organise trucks to take them to a temporary shelter. “However, onlookers and other residents objected claiming that the protesters were not following social distancing rules,” said a police officer.
The group threatened to go to the BBMP headquarters for food and shelter. The police finally managed to arrange for autorickshaws to take the labourers to a private college in Lingarajapuram.
S.D. Sharanappa, DCP (East), said the incident arose out of confusion and miscommunication. “The local police have asked to help enrol migrant labourers on Seva Sindhu. Hence, they thought we had answers.”
