1,800 displaced people returned home in Meghalaya
By IANSWednesday, January 12, 2011
MENDIPATHAR - Around 1,800 people, who were displaced following the ethnic clashes in Meghalaya and Assam, have returned home and no reports of fresh violence were reported in the region, an official said Wednesday.
In Assam’s Goalpara district, two relief camps were closed after the displaced wanted to go back to their homes, Goalpara District Magistrate P.K. Goswami told IANS.
He said 1,500 Garo tribesmen have returned to the respective villages after we assured them of security.
Similarly in Meghalaya’s East Garo Hills district, one of the 18 relief camps Wednesday has also been closed.
“A Salpara relief camp has been closed on our side after around 300 Garo families returned to respective villages in Assam,” Chief Minister Mukul Sangma told journalists.
He said more displaced people are expected to return to their respective hamlets once normalcy is totally restored.
District authorities in Assam’s Goalpara district Wednesday, meanwhile, further relaxed curfew from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in areas falling under Dhupdhara, Dudhnoi, Krishnai and Rongajuli police stations, while in Meghalaya’s East Garo Hills district, curfew was relaxed from 12 a.m. to 3 p.m.
There were no reports of fresh violence from the areas to during relaxation period.
Altogether, 262 arsonists - 159 in Assam and 103 in Meghalaya - were arrested and criminal cases have been registered against them.
Ten people have died so far and scores were injured in clashes between Garo and Rabha tribes that began Jan 1. Nearly 50,000 people were displaced from their homes and are staying in relief camps in Assam and Meghalaya.
Hundreds of houses were burnt down in the riot-hit areas of the state.
