NHRC takes suo moto cognizance of Aurangabad rail incident

The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo moto cognizance of the recent train accident tragedy. On the early morning of 7th May, a train ran over 16 migrant workers who had fallen asleep on the track while they were walking back to their home from Jalna in Maharashtra to Bhusawal in Madhya Pradesh. NHRC on Friday issued notices to the Maharashtra chief secretary and Aurangabad district magistrate saying that “the tragedy could have been averted if some arrangements had been made for their settlements been made for their shelter or halt during their tiring journey”.

The commission directed the officers to submit a detailed report about the incident within four weeks. “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 laborer, who are facing extreme difficulties from every angle,” the NHRC said in a statement. “The details of the relief and rehabilitation provided to the victim laborer and their dependents along with status of the medical treatment provided to the injured is also required to be given in the report.”

It is claimed by the Railway Ministry that the pilot of the train, which was a cargo train, honkedas soon as he noticed the group of people on the rail tracks and also made all possible efforts to stop the train. According to some reports, it is believed that the workers were sleeping on the tracks thinking that trains are not plying. This also sheds light on the fact that how several migrant workers are not aware about the “Shramik Special Trains” which is an initiative by the government to send the migrant workers back to their hometowns.