Migrants issue: Tension has now eased in TN, says DGP Sylendra Babu

CHENNAI: Head of the TN police force, DGP C Sylendra Babu on Thursday stated the tension regarding the alleged attacks of migrant labourers in the state has been subsided.

"The tension regarding the alleged attacks of migrant labourers in the State has been eased through the co-operation of journalists and the statement issued by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin. Thank you on behalf of the police department. The situation is fine now. However, this issue remains one to monitor. A case has been registered against those spreading rumours," the DGP said to reporters in Coimbatore.

"We have arrested three people in connection. Police teams have camped at various places to arrest some people. Few have gone hiding while some have gone to court. Rumour videos have drastically reduced. However, we have told the industrialists that they should have frequent dialogues with the North Indian workers as this will create an unusual environment."

"The police officers have also went and talked to migrants and given them courage. Steps are being taken to install CCTV cameras and patrol vehicles in the areas where Northern Indian workers reside. Steps are also being taken to explain the situation here to the parents and relatives of the North Indian workers and to provide information in their own language in a way that they can understand."

"11 cases have been registered in connection with this issue. The investigation will reveal why such fake videos were circulated."

On Wednesday, Sylendra Babu issued guidelines to avert the panic and confusion arising out of fake videos on alleged attacks of migrant labourers in State. Across the State, the police were advised to do identification of companies and factories, employing migrant labourers and taking an account of their numbers, sex, age composition, native State etc.

Migrant Workers’ Protection Movement, Nirman Mazdoor Panchayat Sangam and several other trade unions demanded the source and receiving states of migrant labourers to strictly implement the Inter-State Migrant Workers Act, 1979, and other pro-labourers act to create a safety net and ensure a safe migration for the labourers.

Earlier, DMK General Secretary and Senior Minister Durai Murugan claimed that a few fringe group of people spread the rumours of assaults on the migrant labourers which has not happened in the State.

The four-member delegation of Bihar bureaucrats who assessed the safety of Bihar workers in the State also thanked the Tamil Nadu government for the efforts taken by it and said that the panic triggered by fake videos has subsided among the workers.

On March 4, a delegation of Bihar bureaucrats visited Chennai and held discussions with Tamil Nadu government officials regarding the safety of the Bihari workers living in the State. Bihar Association in Tamil Nadu also held a meeting with migrant workers who are working in Chennai, amid rumours of alleged attacks.

A statewide panic was created among migrant workers, working in Tamil Nadu, after several purported videos, showing attacks on migrant workers, circulated on social media.

The panic was triggered after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday, raised concerns and took note of the purported videos of "attacks". The panic affected the industries in Tamil Nadu, which rely on migrant workers, badly as many workers stayed off work.

Taking cognizance of the panic, Tamil Nadu's Director General of Police C Sylendra Babu released a statement, saying that the video doing rounds of social media was "false" and "mischievous".

"Somebody in Bihar posted false and mischievous videos saying that migrant workers were attacked in Tamil Nadu. Two videos were posted. Both are false as these incidents happened at an earlier date in Tiruppur and Coimbatore. One was a clash between two groups of migrant workers from Bihar while another was from a clash between two local residents in Coimbatore," the top cop said.

The DGP also said that the persons behind this rumour-driven panic will not be spared.

(With inputs from Bureau)