Ludhiana, May 10 -- Amid the growing tension between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack and India's retaliatory action, panic has gripped the industrial hub of Ludhiana as thousands of migrant labourers have begun leaving the city in haste for their native villages in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Deputy commissioner (DC) Himanshu Jain has issued a video message, urging labourers to stay calm and avoid unnecessary travel.

Long queues of labourers were seen at Ludhiana and Dhandari railway stations and bus stands on Friday, with packed trains and buses carrying anxious workers back home. Many of them cited family pressure and uncertainty about the geopolitical situation as reasons for their hurried departure.

According to...