The migrant labourer, who walked 30 km from Bhayandar to Vasai Railway Station, died outside the railway station before catching the ‘Shramik special trains’. A 45-year-old labourer identified as Harish Chandra Shankar Lal from Rajasthan fell unconscious before reaching the Vasai Road Railway Station and died.
Harish was a carpenter by profession and was working on a construction site. He walked 30 km from Sai Baba Nagar in Bhayandar on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway after hearing that special trains were arranged for Bikaner from Vasai Road Railway Station for Bhayandar’s stranded labours.
His relatives told that the authorities concerned had not provided any transport for migrants from their residents to the station. “We had completed our online applications almost 10 days ago to board the special train to Rajasthan. On Wednesday evening, we were told that a train for Rajasthan would leave from Vasai on Thursday but we were not told the timing,” said Sawarmal Jangir, the distant relative of Harish Shankarlal.
He did not have the money to do any personal vehicle or autorickshaw. The officer said that on reaching the station, his health worsened, due to which he vomited. On seeing his condition, doctors gave him immediate medical assistance but it was too late. Manikpur police took him to the Jan Seva Hospital where he was declared brought dead.
An official said on Friday that the incident took place on Thursday evening. Due to lockdown, Harish lost his job. The labourer and some of his distant relatives had planned to return to the hometown by special train. On Wednesday, he received the information that a special train has been arranged for Bikaner on Thursday.
ADR case registered
The official said that Harish ran in the intense heat on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway. An Accidental Death (ADR) has been registered at the Manikpur Police Station.
However, a bus was arranged from the Jesal Park area Bhayandar to Vasai Railway Station. “The arrangement was for those who had appeared on the list of 1200 migrant labourers. Harish could not make his name in the list,” said the source.