26 hide in truck to go home, caught

Stranded Workers Were On Way To Raj

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

23.04.2020

Namakkal: The Namakkal police on Wednesday seized a container truck carrying 26 people from Rajasthan here on Tuesday evening. They have been kept at a government college near Paramathi-Velur.

Namakkal SP R Arularasu said they were guest workers working or looking for jobs in Kerala. They got stranded in the state after lockdown was announced and were trying to get back home. The truck was intercepted at a check-post on the Karur-Bengaluru national highway, said Arularasu.

The truck driver, Subjeer Singh of Uttar Pradesh, initially refused to open the container for inspection. “However, our police officials overpowered him and opened the container,” the SP said.

The police officials then found 26 people crammed in the container. During inquiry, it was revealed that they had gone to Thiruvananthapuram to find jobs through an agent in March. “However, they got stranded in Kerala after the lockdown was announced,” the SP said. Most of them lost their jobs after the lockdown.

They began struggling for food and shelter, and finally decided to go back to Rajasthan. They travelled on foot from Kerala to Karur via Theni and Dindigul. “While walking on the national highway, they spotted a container truck in Karur bearing a Rajasthan registration number,” the SP said, adding that the truck was meant for transporting vehicles and was parked on the roadside near Paramathi-Velur in Namakkal district.

Police officials sheltered them in a government-aided arts and science college. Health officials lifted blood and throat swabs from them.

IN DESPERATION: The guest workers lost their jobs in Kerala after the lockdown was announced

24 booked for illegal travel

Madurai: A case has been registered by the Tirunelveli police against 24 people for travelling illegally from Chennai to Tirunelveli in a mini goods vehicle on Tuesday night. All the 24 have been placed under quarantine at a government hostel. Samples were collected from them and the results are awaited. TNN