Police secured seven migrant workers who attempted to escape in a mini truck in Uthukuli in Tiruppur district in the early hours of Wednesday.
Out of the seven workers, three were from Rajasthan and four were from Madhya Pradesh, police said. At around 12.15 a.m on Wednesday, Uthukuli police conducted a vehicle check based on intelligence inputs at the four-way road in Kodiyampalayam. The seven men were found in the back of the mini truck, which was driven by a man, Mohan.
Preliminary investigations revealed that they were tile-cutting workers who wanted to go back to their hometowns as they were out of jobs due to the COVID-19 lockdown. The driver allegedly did not know the intention of these workers and agreed to drop them at the location they asked to be dropped at, according to the police.
Uthukuli police booked a case against the driver under section 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Indian Penal Code and seized the vehicle. No case was booked against the seven workers and the police handed them over to their contractor in Kangeyam on Wednesday, instructing him to look after them by providing food and other essential needs during the lockdown period.
