Aurraiyya (UP): In a gruesome incident, 24 migrant workers were killed and 20 seriously injured in a collision between the mini-truck and a trolley in Aurraiyya district, early on Saturday morning.
The incident took place on the national highway at Mihauli under Kotwali police circle when the trolley rammed into a stationary mini-truck.
The trolley, sources said, was carrying 81 migrant workers who were on their way from Faridabad to Gorakhpur.
Senior officials have reached the spot and the injured have been shifted to the hospital for treatment.
District magistrate Abhisek Singh said that 15 persons who have been critically injured are being shifted to the PGI in Sefai in Etawah.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday condoled the death of 24 migrant workers in a road accident in Uttar Pradesh’s Auraiya and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
In a tweet, the Prime Minister said, “I am deeply hurt by the tragic road accident in Uttar Pradesh’s Auraiya. Government is taking all relief measures. I express my condolence to the families of the those who died in the accident and also pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.”
Rahul Gandhi in a tweet also condoled the death of 24 migrant workers and said, “I am saddened by the news of the death of 24 laborers and the injured to many people in Auraiya of Uttar Pradesh. I express my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and wish the injured well soon.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor, Kejriwal also took to twitter and wrote, “Extremely disturbed by the loss of lives in the accident in Auraiya. The tragedy of migrant labour keeps getting worse. Something needs to be done urgently.”
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra condoling the death of the migrant workers slammed the Uttar Pradesh government.
Taking disciplinary action in the Auraiya road accident that claimed the lives of at least 24 migrant labourers, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday suspended two border police officials and also asked the authorities to issue strict warnings to the lawbreakers within their jurisdiction.
The Chief Minister sought an explanation from senior police officials from Agra and Mathura, about the horrifying incident. Besides, the ADG and IG Agra have also been asked for explanations.
Yogi also pulled up the authorities for failing to act against the violators amid the COVID-19 lockdown. He ordered them to sue the truck owners and drivers responsible for the accident, besides, impounding their vehicles.
The Chief Minister directed all the border check posts and District Magistrates to keep a strict vigil on violators and infiltrators. He said that already 200 buses have been deployed in each of the border districts to help migrants reach their homes.
(IANS)