Coronavirus: Migrant workers fight over a bag of food at a railway station in Katihar, Bihar
A fierce fight over food packets between passengers of a special migrants' train at a station in Bihar is being widely shared on social media. The video was reportedly filmed today in Katihar, around 300 km from state capital Patna.
The tragic visuals have raised questions about railways' claims of ensuring social distancing while running the special migrant trains during the lockdown to slow the spread of coronavirus in the country.
The incident allegedly took place at Katihar Junction, when a train arrived from Delhi and stopped en route to Purnia. In the clip, a group of men start snatching food packets from a man who was apparently distributing them. Many of them are wearing masks, but the physical blows defeat the purpose, which is to prevent the spread of the highly contagious virus.
In the wild scramble, some packets fall on the ground and are quickly picked up by alert hands.
The group goes dangerously close to the gap between the train and the tracks. Some of the men manage a food packet each and climb on board as the train moves away.
The Railways said the incident took place because migrants grew impatient when food was being distributed.
"Lunch was being distributed at Katihar. Only one person distributes food per coach. As it was taking time, some lost their patience and pounced on the food. It is very sad. We appeal to people, these are difficult times, they must be patient," said Shubhanan Chandra, the spokesperson of Northern Frontier Railways.
Migrant specials have been running since last month to take workers stranded by the lockdown in many cities to their home states.
The Railways said food and water would be arranged for the migrants travelling on these trains.
While this may be a one-off incident, the video raises questions.
Migrant workers left without jobs, homes or money, with no way to go home after public transport was abruptly halted, have emerged as the biggest casualty of weeks of lockdown to fight coronavirus in the country.