At least 3,500 migrant labourers were stranded at the Guttala Ummadivaram checkpost (Kurnool-Guntur highway) in Tripuranthakam Mandal in Prakasam District on Saturday, after the Prakasam police refused to let them into the district, as per the lockdown guidelines to combat coronavirus. These labourers who usually migrate to Guntur during the red chilly harvest season, were told to leave the district, reportedly by authorities, according to reports.
As a result, since 2 am on Saturday, scores of people who are natives of Kurnool, gathered at the checkpost. After waiting for almost 12 hours, the Guntur police finally came to their rescue and escorted them back to Guntur, police said.
This is the situation at a checkpost in Prakasam dist, AP. Nearly 2,000 ppl want to head to Kurnool district. I am told they have been stopped at the checkpost since last night. #Covid19India #Migration pic.twitter.com/ltebL2BN7x
— Harish Upadhya (@harishupadhya) March 28, 2020
Speaking to TNM, Tripuranthakam Sub Inspector, Venkata Krishna said, “There were more than 3,500 people. They started to gather one by one from 2 am. We couldn’t let them in. At around 1.30 pm, the Guntur police spoke with them and asked them to return to the place from where they came.”
Similarly, nearly 1500 migrant workers from Mangaluru, who are natives of Kurnool were also stuck at the Palamner checkpost (AP - Kurnool border) as they were prevented from entering the district, according to reports.
These AP natives were working in industries in Mangaluru which have now shut down owing to the national lockdown.
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had issued clear guidelines asking the Andhra Pradesh native to refrain from travelling.
“I feel bad that we have to stop our own people from returning to their homes. Yet, I humbly request people to avoid travelling across states, or districts or towns or villages within the state,” Jagan had said earlier this week. The CM made this statement after scores of Andhra natives from Hyderabad travelled back to the state on the day of Ugadi. However, after hours of uncertainty only 44 of them were allowed entry when they complied to quarantine themselves. The rest were made to return back to Hyderabad, amidst violence.