Migrants' crisis: Toddler tries to wake up dead mother at Bihar railway station

According to reports, 35-year-old Avreena Khatoon died en route to Katihar from Ahmedabad by a Shramik Special train via Muzaffarpur.

PATNA: In a heart-wrenching twist in the ongoing tragedy of migrants, a video of a toddler frantically trying to wake up his dead mother at Muzaffarpur railway station has gone viral on social media. The woman had died soon after the train arrived at Muzaffarpur railway station.

In the video, the toddler is seen pulling the shroud covering his mother to wake her up. The heartbreaking visual has evoked a massive reaction and empathy for the toddler.

According to reports, 35-year-old Avreena Khatoon died en route to Katihar from Ahmedabad by a Shramik Special train via Muzaffarpur. She died when her health deteriorated allegedly due to hunger.

The body was pulled out from the train and kept on the platform till the arrival of an ambulance to take it to Katihar. When the body was lying covered with a sheet of cloth, the deceased's minor son pulled it to wake up her presuming that she is asleep. Eyewitnesses said that the toddler continued for 5 minutes till one of the persons looking after the body stopped him.

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Meanwhile, Muzaffarpur district administration issued a statement saying that woman was ill for the past three days and died of sickness. One of the deceased's relatives, however, contradicted the statement alleging that she died of hunger and severe heat in the train.

Lakhs of migrants have been left to fend for themselves after the government imposed a pan-India lockdown in March. Left unemployed, the migrants set out for their homes thousands of kilometres away, walking or on cycles, autos or trucks. Many died before they could reach home, either in road accidents or from hunger and exhaustion.