Bengaluru: Migrants throng Palace grounds for spl trains due to 'fake news'

Thousands of migrant workers from Odisha and north-eastern states thronged the Palace grounds in Bengaluru on Saturday (May 23) to get back to their home states by Shramik trains, leading to a chaotic situation, officials said.

They had gathered due to “misinformation”, sources said.

Officials said 1,500 people had registered to return to their respective states via Seva Sindhu app and a message was sent to all those registered to assemble at palace grounds to board the buses that will ferry them to designated railway stations after screening and medical check.

“The confusion happened as people forwarded the messages to others as well, resulting in large number of people gathering there, leading to chaos,” the sources added.

Around 4000 migrant workers from Manipur have gathered at Palace Grounds in Bengaluru for registration to return. K. Sudhakar, state minister says,"I talked to them,they are worried&want to go back to Manipur but I hope they will return to Bengaluru as this is their second home" pic.twitter.com/w8QakO7ini

— ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2020

A report in Bangalore Mirror stated that it was a stampede-like situation near Palace grounds as scores of migrants tried to gain entry due to an en masse message.

Chetan Singh Rathore, DCP Central told Bangalore Mirror that the message conveyed to the people of Manipur and Odisha that they would be able to go home on trains on Saturday.

“The message did not consider the capacity of the train which is only 1500 seating capacity for Manipur and 1500 for Odisha,” he said.

“But the people gathered were around 3,000 for the Manipur train and 5,000 for the Odisha train. Passengers with tickets and requisites were allowed to travel while others were asked to return home and wait for their turn to travel back home,” he added.

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Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar, who was on his way to Chikkaballapur, rushed to the spot and pacified the workers.

The minister interacted with the people of the North-eastern states and Odisha and said that there was no need to panic as travel will be arranged for all migrants at government expense, his office said in a release.

He also spoke to the Chief Secretary and senior officials and instructed them to resolve the confusion, and urged people to co-operate with the administration.

Many cried..a few fainted..many begged for food…everyone said their self-respect and dignity had been hurt. Pix of #MigrantWorkers @ Palace Grounds in #Bengaluru, they just want to go home?(?Chethan/Asif)@tinucherian @WFRising @NammaBengaluroo @ShyamSPrasad @sandeeprrao1991 pic.twitter.com/X1kLBDS3Xc

— Rakesh Prakash (@rakeshprakash1) May 23, 2020

The minister told them that the Karnataka government was doing everything to send them back safely.

Sudhakar, who is also a doctor, came to the rescue of a man named Arshad who suffered an attack of fits, his office said.

Officials said those with tickets and requisite details were allowed to travel, while others were asked to go back and wait until their turn comes, once they register.

State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar too visited the spot and spoke to the workers.

Visited Palace Grounds in Bengaluru where thousands of our migrant brothers and sisters, are in kms long queue, struggling to get train tickets.

I again appeal to @CMofKarnataka to make their travel free & ensure they reach home or let us in the KPCC fund their train tickets. pic.twitter.com/z9E5BI6TsM

— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) May 23, 2020

Speaking to reporters, he said he was ready to foot their bill and hit out the government for not making arrangements properly, and for making them wait under the hot sun without food and water.

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Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Friday had announced that the state government would bear the travel cost of migrant workers and stranded people to their respective states by Shramik trains upto May 31.

Following the Chief Ministers announcement Railway officials too said no payment is to be made by the workers returning on Shramik trains.

“Important announcement: No fare for Shramik trains to be paid by passengers. It is informed that for Shramik Special Trains from Karnataka payment of train fare will be made by Karnataka Govt to Railways, no payment is to be made by the workers returning on Shramik Special Trains,” DRM Bengaluru tweeted.

IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION The Advance Reservation Period (ARP) of the 15 pairs of special trains (running from 12th May 2020) will be increased from 7 days to 30 days. We are running a train SBC-NZM-SBC under this category pic.twitter.com/YyeMIz8LNU

— DRM Bengaluru (@drmsbc) May 22, 2020

From Bengaluru we are running 12 Shramik special trains today. We will carry around 19,000 persons back to their homes. All arrangements are made to ensure a comfortable journey and following norms of social distancing. Thanks all our partners for full support and cooperation pic.twitter.com/ueUGnL5Eo6

— DRM Bengaluru (@drmsbc) May 23, 2020

(With inputs from agencies)