Cong MLA says 10 homeless 'missing', a day after Indore civic workers' attempt to 'dump' them
Jan 31, 2021
Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], January 31 : A day after Indore Municipal workers were caught on video trying to "dump" elderly homeless on the city's outskirts, Congress MLA Sanjay Shukla on Saturday lodged a police complaint alleging that at least 10 of the homeless are "missing."
A disturbing video shot by locals showing a municipal team trying to unload homeless people off a truck parked on the side of the highway was shared widely online. It shows villagers in the Kshipra area raising a hue and cry and refusing to allow civic body workers to abandon the elderly people on the highway in the bitter cold.
Shukla, who went to check on the condition of the old people said: "Indore Municipal Corporation took 15 people to abandon them near Kshipra but today I went there and found only four of them at the Rain Basera (government shelter). Police should investigate the matter and lodge an FIR against the accused."
Shukla said he has approached Inspector General of Police (IGP) Harinarayanachari Mishra and submitted a memorandum demanding that an FIR be lodged against the municipal corporation employees and officials under the charges of kidnapping as 10 people are still missing.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had expressed dismay at the shocking incident and directed the district administration to take concrete action against those responsible after which the Deputy Commissioner of Indore Municipal Corporation was suspended.
Congress leader Priyanka Vadra Gandhi had earlier in the day shared some of the videos on Twitter and said, "This incident of Indore is a blot on humanity. The government and administration should apologise to these destitute people and action should not be taken against the junior staff who were following orders but on higher ups who gave the order."
Meanwhile, BJP MP Shankar Lalwani said, "They have returned to their homes."
Lalwani said that he had also met Municipal commissioner Pratibha Pal.
Pal said, "In the winter season, the corporation shifts the homeless to shelters. Some people readily go to these shelters but there were some who went elsewhere on their own."
"Yesterday's incident is unfortunate and action has been taken against the negligence. Additional Commissioner is now investigating the case," she said.
The Deputy Commissioner of Indore Municipal Corporation has been suspended and two contractual employees were sacked in this connection.
