Ninety-seven Migrants Died onboard Shramik Special Trains: Railways Minister Piyush Goyal

In a written answer to a question posed by TMC MP Derek O'brein, Goyal said that out of the 97 death cases, the state police have sent dead bodies for post mortem in 87 cases. ''The state police registers case under Section 174 Cr.PC in case of unnatural death and follows further legal process. Based on the data provided by state police, 97 persons have been reported dead till September 9, 2020, while traveling onboard Shramik Special Trains during the current Covod-19 crisis'', Goyal said.

The minister further said that a total of 51 post mortem reports so far have been obtained from respective state police where the reasons for death have been shown as cardiac arrest, pre-existing chronic disease heart disease, brain hemorrhage, liver disease, etc.

This statement from the Railway Minister comes after the government faced criticism when the labour ministry informed Parliament, a week earlier, that no data is available on the number of migrant workers who lost their lives during the 68-day nationwide lockdown which was enforced on March 25 due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Shramik Special trains were operated from May 1 to ferry migrant labourers back to their home states during the lockdown. The minister informed that over 4000 Shramik Special trains were operated between May 1 and August 31 carrying over 63 lakh passengers to their homes.

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