A Haryana Roadways bus driver on his way to drop migrant workers home amid the lockdown was allegedly thrashed by Uttar Pradesh police personnel, prompting the staff union to demand strong action against them.
Khurshid Ahmed, a driver with the Palwal depot of the state government bus service, said he was beaten up by policemen in Barabanki on March 29 when he asked them for directions to Gorakhpur.
Instead of guiding him, they pulled him down from the bus and thrashed him with lathis, the driver told PTI over the phone.
"I was severely beaten by police. Despite telling them that I have been send by the authorities to drop the migrants at Gorakhpur, the police personnel kept beating me, claiming that I had violated the lockdown," he said.
Ahmed said he received serious injuries on his back and legs.
He said he had to ask for directions for Gorakhpur as it was not his regular route.
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"I somehow managed to take the passengers to Gorakhpur and bring the bus back to Palwal depot on March 30, as there was pain in my back and the lower part of the body due the thrashing by police," he said.
All Haryana Roadways Workers Union general secretary Balwan Singh has condemned the incident and demanded strong action against the policemen.
"It is shameful that while our drivers and conductors were helping migrants to reach their destinations in Uttar Pradesh from the Delhi border in the time of crisis, the Uttar Pradesh government took no measures to ensure their safety," he told PTI.
The Haryana government had pressed into service over 1,000 buses at the Delhi border to transport migrant workers on March 29, as asked by the Uttar Pradesh government, he said.
The union leader claimed the UP government had promised to give Rs 1,000 to each driver, make arrangements free of cost for their stay and food, and provide 95 litres for each bus.
However, the promise was not honoured in many cases, he alleged.
Many drivers brought back the buses after refuelling them with their own money, he said.
He also demanded action against state transport director Virender Dahiya, alleging that he did not take proper steps for the safety of the drivers and conductors.
"The drivers and conductors were not provided masks and money, and there were no security arrangements," he said.
During the continuing lockdown to contain coronavirus, the Uttar Pradesh government had for some time allowed buses bringing back migrant workers who hailed from the state.