Guntur: Tension prevails as migrant workers stage protest

Guntur: Tension prevailed near the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Mangalagiri when the migrant workers from various States engaged in construction of AIIMS buildings protested on Friday to mount pressure on the district administration to send them back to their native places.

About 600 construction workers who came from Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh have been working for a company constructing AIIMS buildings.

The protesters gathered at the Rail-Over-Bridge and raised slogans against the officials for not taking initiative to send them to their native places. They said that due to the lockdown they were unable to go to their native places and facing problems staying away from their families.

As tension prevailed, the police swung into action and tried to counsel them. They assured the workers that they would soon be sent to their native places. However, the defiant workers expressed ire over the police and pelted stones at them.

The police resorted to lathi-charge to bring the situation under control. Guntur urban Additional Superintendent of Police K Eswara Rao rushed to spot. He held negotiations with the workers.

He pointed out that as the district was declared as Red Zone, at present it will be difficult to send them to their native places. When the workers did not agree to his argument, he assured them that steps would be taken to send them to their native places in a phased manner.

The workers finally agreed to his proposal. The Additional SP asked them to submit copies of Aadhaar card and other documents to the officials.

Mangalagiri tahasildar G V Ram Prasad said they will make arrangements to send them to their native places.

Meanwhile, CPI State secretary K Ramakrishna who rushed to spot expressed solidarity with the agitating workers. He urged the officials to send them to their native places.