As many as 74 migrant labourers who were travelling to Rajasthan in two trucks have been intercepted by the Dharwad district police near Dharwad last night and have been shifted to a temporary shelter there.
According to Superintendent of Police Vartika Katiyar, among these labourers 27 had come from Kasaragod in Kerala and 47 were from Mangaluru. All were returning to their native places in Rajasthan.
She said in an official communication that the 27 migrant labourers from Kasaragod actually had passes to travel to their native places. However after the administration told them that it would take another week for them to arrange buses for them, they had hired a truck.
Ms. Vartika said that transport arrangements would be made to send them to Rajasthan and they had been temporarily sheltered at Patanashetti Kalyanamantap in Dharwad. Meanwhile cases have been filed in Garag police station in Dharwad taluk.
She also made an appeal to the truck owners and drivers not to resort to ferrying of stranded people as it would do more harm than good for them. She has also said that as it was illegal to carry passengers in goods transport vehicles. Cases would be registered against the owners of the truck and drivers for indulging in any such act.
