Migrant workers returning to Uttar Pradesh, following a 21-day lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, were sprayed with disinfectants, a video that has now gone viral shows.
In the video, the batch of migrants could be heard crying out as their eyes sting from the disinfectant spray, NDTV reported.
The report states that the video is from Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh.
According to the report, the batch of migrant workers had returned to UP over the weekend after the state government had arranged buses for them.
"The migrants were sprayed with a mix of chlorine and water... No chemical solution was used. We asked them to keep their eyes shut," an official told the news channel, adding that the administration did not mean to be inhuman.
"It was important to sanitise everyone and there was a huge rush as large number of people had returned. So we did what we thought was best," the official said.
Meanwhile, Bareilly District Magistrate said that the incident was investigated and action has been initiated against the officials concerned.
"After the investigation of this video, those affected are being treated under the supervision of the Chief Minister's Office. The civic body and fire brigade team were asked to sanitise the buses, but they did this because they were overzealous," he said in a tweet.इस वीडियो की पड़ताल की गई, प्रभावित लोगों का सीएमओ के निर्देशन में उपचार किया जा रहा है। बरेली नगर निगम एवं फायर ब्रिगेड की टीम को बसों को सैनेटाइज़ करने के निर्देश थे, पर अति सक्रियता के चलते उन्होंने ऐसा कर दिया। सम्बंधित के विरुद्ध कार्रवाई के निर्देश दिए गए हैं। https://t.co/y8TmuCNyu5
— District Magistrate (@dmbareilly) March 30, 2020
The action was slammed by a number of opposition leaders, including Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati.
"I appeal to the government in UP... all of us are fighting together against this crisis (coronavirus). Please don't indulge into such inhuman actions. The labourers have already suffered a lot. Don't spray chemicals on them. This won't protect them... rather it would harm their health," Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.