The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Saturday issued notices to the Maharashtra government and the District Magistrate of Aurangabad over the rail accident in the region a day ago, where 16 migrant workers returning home were crushed to death by a goods train.
The NHRC issued the notices after taking suo motu cognizance of media reports regarding the incident, which occurred between Badnapur and Karmad stations in the Nanded Division.
For context, a group of 20 migrant workers returning to Madhya Pradesh were sleeping on the railway tracks near Karmad, around 30 km from Aurangabad, when 16 of them were crushed to death by a goods train. Four other migrant workers of the group survived the accident which took place at 5:15 AM on Friday.
The NHRC has directed the state government and the Aurangabad DM to submit a detailed report within 4 weeks into the incident. "It should also include details of the steps taken by the state and the district authorities to provide food, shelter and other basic amenities to the poor people, especially the migrant labourers, who are facing extreme difficulties from every angle. The details of the relief and rehabilitation provided to the victim labourers and their dependents along with the status of the medical treatment provided to the injured are also required to be given in the report," the NHRC directive states.
The government of Maharashtra has already announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of each of the workers killed in the Aurangabad train mishap.
A police official had told a news agency that the migrant workers were returning to their native place in Madhya Pradesh. They were walking along the railway tracks, and after a while had fallen asleep right there due to tiredness, he had added.
"At around 5:15 AM, a freight train ran over some people which lead to the death of 16 labourers. We are looking into the matter.," Mokshada Patil, the SP of Aurangabad, stated.
"A group of four people sat away from the track and survived but they are in shock. The injured are undergoing treatment at the Aurangabad civil hospital.," he had added.
