Over a thousand migrant workers gathered outside Bandra railway station on Tuesday afternoon, demanding that they be sent home at the earliest as they are unable to sustain themselves during the lockdown. The police had to resort to lathi charge to disperse them.
In an address to the State on social media in the evening, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray appealed to migrant workers to maintain calm. In his Marathi and Hindi address, Mr. Thackeray said a rumour about the resumption of outstation train services could have led to the gathering. Mr. Thackeray said the State is investigating the incident and those playing politics during a pandemic will be punished.
“The reason is that they felt trains would start from April 14 and they can go home. Someone must have put this in their mind,” he said. The State government is in talks with the Centre to help migrant workers return home, the Chief Minister added.
According to the Bandra police, people started gathering outside Jama Masjid near Bandra station around 4 p.m. The numbers soon swelled to around 1,500. “The people mostly comprised workers from other States and demanded that they be sent home as the lockdown, which was supposed to end on Tuesday, had been extended. Personnel from the Bandra police station, including senior officers, immediately rushed to the spot,” Mumbai Police spokesperson DCP Pranaya Ashok said.
An officer with the Bandra police said the numbers grew even