NEW DELHI (Reuters) – An Indian train ran over migrant workers sleeping on the track on Friday, killing at least 14 of the group, who were apparently on their way to their home villages, the railway ministry and media said.
Tens of thousands of people have been walking home from India’s big cities after losing their jobs because of a lockdown to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus since late March.
The driver tried to stop the freight train when he saw the labourers on the tracks in the western state of Maharashtra, the railway ministry said, adding it had ordered an inquiry.
“I have just heard the sad news about labourers coming under the train, rescue work is underway,” Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said on Twitter.
Under the lockdown, all public transport has been suspended so migrant workers heading home often have to walk long distances to get there.
The government has extended the lockdown until May 17.
(Refiles to correct headline, removing extraneous word ‘over’)
Reporting by Sanjeev Miglani; Editing by Robert Birsel