A medical team stopped four persons identified as Dhaneshwar Mahto Ritlal Mahto, Bharat Singh and Ritlal Singh at Aharadih center, who were coming from Chandarpur district in Maharashtra riding four cycles at a checkpoint in Nawadih block on National Highway-33 here on Wednesday evening.
The men were later released and allowed to go to them in home quarantine in Nawadih block after a medical screening.
They rode about 1203 kms between Chandarpur and Bokaro in 12 days. On Tuesday night, two father and son reached Gomia block from Mumbai on auto after driving for about 5 days.
As migrants are returning home across the country, Maoist-prone blocks, especially Gomia and Nawadih in Bokaro, are witnessing many people come back on cycles, bikes or even on foot, after failing to get government help.
According to data from the administration, about 6,000 migrant workers and others are expected to arrive in Gomia, while 3,500 persons might return to Nawadih.
Around 7 pm at Phusro, saw four persons on four cycles. They were all below 30 years. When The Telegraph questioned, they said that they were working in a private ACC cement factory in Chandarpur, Maharashtra that got closed during the lockdown. They, therefore, wanted to return to their home,Nawadih,35 km from Bokaro town.
They were checked by a medical team and found healthy. They have been sent to home quarantine, said Dr Kameshwar Mahto. He added, “At the checking point in Nawadih , I regularly see people coming from far off places on foot, bicycles and motorbikes. We provide them with food and sometimes at shelter during the night, added Dr Mahto.
Most of them are migrant workers who have lost their jobs and have exhausted their money.
The four who came to Nawadih on cycles from Chandarpur in Maharastra began their journey on May 2. A member of the group, Shivnarayan Mahto, said “Our money got exhausted and we found it hard to survive there. Finding no avenues of employment during the lockdown, we decided to come back home.”
According to Officer-in Charge Anil Oraon four migrants of Barikkudi village Palamu Panchayat in the block stuck in Mumbai reached Nawadih on late evening on Wednesday after a long cycle journey of twelve days due to countrywide lockdown to prevent corona infection, where the medical in-charge Dr. Kameshwar Mahato sent them after thermal screening for 14 days quarantine.
Bokaro DC Mukesh Kumar said that they have set up check points on roads entering the district. The commuters will have to undergo thermal screening while entering the district.