Thiruvananthapuram:In violation of lockdown in Kerala, over a thousand migrant labourers gathered at Payipadu, Kottayam district and demanded to be sent back home.

Police in large numbers chased them away a few hours after they had staged a protest. 

Since Sunday morning, hundreds of migrant labourers were gathering at Payipadu and raising slogans to demand their return to their native villages while the police looked on.

Local legislator C.F. Thomas said that though there were no complaints of food or accommodation shortage, the migrants wanted to return home.

Payipadu is a central place for migrant workers for long, regularly they converge there and move to work locations. Almost 50 per cent of them have already returned, but the rest who had made arrangements were unable to do with  the nationwide lockdown and cancellation of all trains

Kottayam District Collector Sudhir Babu told the media that till the other day the migrants had raised no issue.

But taking a different stand, Payipadu village council member Sibi said these migrants were facing trouble over availability of food and accommodation.

The labourers are finding it tough to arrange food and accommodation. Labourers are brought to Kerala by agents and put up in accommodations after charging money. But now, the agents have washed their hands off the matter. 

This public upsurge has come at a time when Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has asked authorities to treat migrant labourers, whom he addresses as 'guests', with respect.