What happens after the exodus

The lockdown in the wake of COVID-19 has triggered an unprecedented exodus from cities. But a bigger humanitarian crisis awaits as migrant workers reach home

There is a blue T-shirt on the railway track. And a brown belt. Also a red slipper. A few metres ahead, there are more clothes and other belongings. But the most striking image of the tragedy is the dozen or so rotis scattered along the tracks. It is a poignant reminder of the times we are living in. These are the belongings of the 16 people who were crushed to death by a passing freight train in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad district in the early hours of 8 May.

They were part of a group of 20 migrant workers heading home to …

Author

Pradip K. Saha

Pradip is a co-founder at The Morning Context and leads our newsletters vertical. He has previously worked at The Ken as a staff writer, at Mint as an assistant features editor and the Deccan Chronicle as a copy editor. He works with a slew of expert newsletter writers across subjects and domains. His own writing spans the gig economy, farmers caught in the crossfire of technology, global warming and parents trapped in the edtech wave. Some of his best stories have come at the intersection of technology and human endeavour.

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pradip@mailtmc.com

Delhi