Pics: Sporthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (AM)

Mangaluru, May 8: Over 700 migrant workers gathered at Mangaluru Central Railway Station after rumours of train services restarting became viral on Friday, May 8.

Hundreds of migrants living in Derebail, Suratkal, Nantoor, Kulur and other places, queued outside the station entrance hoping to reach their hometown. The migrant workers hail from Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal. 

The migrants arrived on foot to the station after a social media on the same went viral.

Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel and Pandeshwar police had a tough time managing the crowd. An argument also ensued between the police and the migrant workers. The police went ahead to arrest one of the workers which led to arguments and tension for a brief period of time.

The workers were holding placards ‘We Want to Go Home’. Assistant commissioner Madan Mohan tried to persuade the labourers to return and assured to make all arrangements for them until train services are arranged, but in vain. 

Soon after, police commissioner Dr P S Harsha arrived to the spot and convinced the workers to withdraw the protest. He assured them of getting all the arrangements of their travel back home done in three days. The workers urged the police commissioner to make the arrangements in two days and withdrew the protest.

The workers were then sent back to their places in Derebail, Surtahkal, KPT, Nanthur and Kulur by KSRTC buses.