Migrants in UP get a ‘chemical bath:’ Inquiry ordered

New Delhi, Mar 30: The Bareilly administration in Uttar Pradesh has ordered an inquiry after a group of migrant workers were made to squat on the road and then sprayed with chlorine mixed water on Monday.

A video surfaced on Twitter showing the migrant labour squatting on the road and they being sprayed with the disinfectant. The video was doing the rounds, with many users referring to it as a chemical bath.

In UP's Bareilly, migrant workers and their families made to squat on roads, sprayed all over with disinfectant.

In full public view. Discriminatory, patronising tone by officials

UP CM @myogiadityanath may want to probe this#CoronavirusLockdown #Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/lFmdgh1tKX

— Rohan Dua (@rohanduaTOI) March 30, 2020

The nodal officer in-charge of COVID-19, Ashok Gautam confirmed that the migrants were sprayed with chlorine mixed water. He however said that the step was necessary to contain the possible spread of the virus. We tried keeping them safe and asked them to shut their eyes, he also said.

District Magistrate, Nitish Kumar said that they have looked into the video. The authorities were asked to sanitise the buses, but they went overboard. We have ordered action against the concerned people, he also said.