With stranded migrant workers from different states desperate to return to their hometowns, some crooks are shamelessly fooling the poor with promises to drop them back home amid the ongoing nationwide lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
In one such incident reported from the Mira village area of Kashimira on Tuesday, a bus operator fled after allegedly duping nearly sixty migrants, including women and children, of around Rs 2 lakh by offering them a ride to their hometown near Kolkata in West Bengal by charging them Rs 4,000 per head.
The duped migrants who work as construction workers and housemaids said that they had sold-off their belongings and household ware including gas stoves and utensils to fund their homebound journey. “We were told to be ready at 4 pm. However, neither the bus arrived, nor was the driver traceable. But we are thankful to Municipal Corporator Dipika Arora for coordinating with the civic administration to arrange food and water for all of us and Raju Bhoir for providing us space to stay. We have requested them to help us reach our homes,” said a migrant while stating that the police had been informed.
However, police officials, claimed ignorance about the incident. “We are trying our best to help the migrants, our team will also accompany and assist them in filing a police case against the miscreant,” said Arora. An offence was yet to be registered at the Kashimira police station, till reports last came in.
