The government has informed the Rajya Sabha that 97 people died on board the Shramik Special trains, admitting for the first time that migrant labourers lost their lives in the trains which were run to ferry them during the COVID-19 lockdown. In a written answer to a question posed by TMC MP Derek O達rien on Friday, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal provided the statistics to the Upper House of parliament. “Based on the data provided by State Police, 97 persons have been reported dead till 09.09.2020 while travelling on board Shramik Special Trains during current Covid-19 situation/crisis,” the minister said.
— source newsclick.in | 19 Sep 2020