Train crushes 16 migrant workers sleeping on tracks in India

DELHI: At least 16 people were killed and two injured after a cargo train ran over them while they were sleeping on the tracks in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad on Saturday.

The police said that the workers were walking from Jalna to Bhusaval. The railway’s ministry said that the driver of the freight train in Maharashtra state tried to stop in time but failed, adding it had ordered an inquiry.

The deceased people were heading towards a railway station by foot with a hope to get a train to their hometown when they fell asleep on track due to fatigue, said local media reports.

Railway officials said that the dead workers walked on the road towards Aurangabad, and later on railway tracks leading to Aurangabad.

Railways Minister Piyush Goyal said that the driver of the train tried to stop in time after spotting them but failed.

Moreover, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the loss of workers’ lives and said that he was extremely anguished by the loss of lives due to the fatal accident in Aurangabad, Maharashtra.

“Have spoken to Railway Minister Shri Piyush Goyal and he is closely monitoring the situation. All possible assistance required is being provided,” he wrote in a tweet.

Extremely anguished by the loss of lives due to the rail accident in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Have spoken to Railway Minister Shri Piyush Goyal and he is closely monitoring the situation. All possible assistance required is being provided.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 8, 2020

Several labourers have been walking home from India’s key cities after losing their jobs in recent weeks because of a lockdown imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.