Fifteen migrant workers in a group of 20 were killed after a cargo train ran over them while they were sleeping on the tracks in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad this morning, the railways said. The migrants were walking from Jalna to Bhusaval, 157 km apart. Four of the survivors, who are in shock, are being counselled by the police, senior police officer Mokshada Patil said. The fifth survivor has been admitted to hospital with injuries.
“We are counselling the survivors before we speak to them for more details,” Ms Patil said.
The police said the migrants, who were headed to Madhya Pradesh, likely assumed that trains were not running due to the coronavirus lockdown and exhausted from walking a long distance, slept off on the tracks. They were run over by the passing train at 5.15 am today at the district 360 km from Mumbai.
The tracks were strewn with footwear and other personal belongings. Even the rotis they were carrying for their journey were seen on the tracks.
There were reportedly no children in the group.
The Railway Ministry tweeted the driver tried to stop the train.
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