Defying Lockdown, Thousands of Migrants Protest in Bandra, Demand to Go Home Amid Lockdown

The migrant workers, however, were later dispersed after police and local leaders intervened and asked them to vacate the area.

New Delhi: On a day when the Centre announced the extension of nationwide lockdown, a large group of migrant labourers gathered in Bandra, demanding for permission to return to their native states. However, they were later dispersed after police and local leaders intervened and asked them to vacate the area.

They all wanted to go home today as they had hoped that the trains will start from today. Police are investigating how so many people came there. However, Mumbai police claims that the crowd has been dispersed.

The development comes as these daily wage workers have been rendered jobless ever since the lockdown was announced late last month.

Mumbai: A large group of migrant labourers gathered in Bandra, demanding for permission to return to their native states. They later dispersed after police and local leaders intervened and asked them to vacate. pic.twitter.com/uKdyUXzmnJ

— ANI (@ANI) April 14, 2020

Apart from Bandra, the workers across the country are protesting and demanding transport to travel back to their home state. Though authorities and NGOs have made arrangements for their food, most of them want to go back to their native places to escape the hardship.

As per updates from police, daily wage earners, numbering around 1,000, assembled at suburban Bandra (West) bus depot near the railway station and squatted on road at around 3 PM. These workers originally hail from states like West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

Heavy police deployment was made at the protest site to tackle any untoward incident and moreover, police personnel from other police stations were called at the spot to maintain law and order situation.