Days after claiming that the government has no data on migrant deaths that have occurred since the pandemic induced lockdown, the central government informed the Rajya Sabha that 97 people died on board the Shramik Specials. It was on the sixth day of the monsoon session that the government admitted, for the first time, that migrant labourers’ lives were lost on the trains.
Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said in a written reply, “Based on the data provided by State Police, 97 persons have been reported dead till 09.09.2020 while travelling on board Shramik Special Trains during current Covid-19 situation/crisis,” the minister said. “The state police registers case under Section 174 of Cr.PC in cases of unnatural deaths and follows further legal process,” the minister added. Out of the 97 cases of death, the state police sent dead bodies for post mortem in 87 cases, the minister said.
Amid rumours that covid 19 threat may cut down monsoon session and the house may end the ongoing session on Wednesday, instead of October 1, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu urged members to wear masks, maintain safe distance, good hygiene & boost immunity.
Covid 19 in the army
The government also informed that 22,353 armed forces personnel have been infected with the covid 19 virus till date and 41 have died due to the pandemic.