Thousands flee troubled Assam-Meghalaya border

One killed when police fired at arsonists in Goalpara district

One person was killed when the police opened fire on a mob of arsonists on Wednesday in Goalpara district of lower Assam.

There were also reports of exodus of over 10,000 Rabha people from Meghalaya's East Garo Hills district in the wake of escalation of violence in ethnic clashes between the Rabha and Garo communities in Mendipathar area on the Assam-Meghalaya border for the past four days, official sources here said.

Meghalaya Home Minister H.D. R. Lyngdoh told

The Hindu that three companies of the Border Security Forces and two companies of the Meghalaya Police have been rushed to the trouble-torn areas. Mr. Lyngdoh said that he would visit the affected areas on Thursday for assessment of the situation.

Relief camps opened

He said that till Tuesday about 2,500 affected people had taken shelter in relief camps opened at Mendipathar.

However, rumours spread by miscreants added to the panic and prompted some Rabha people to flee to Assam, he said.

Mr. Lyngdoh said the Meghalaya Government had taken all measures to provide food and shelter and for protection of life and properties of each and every resident of the violence-hit area.

Troops have been called in for area domination and to assist the civil administration in restoration of peace in the affected areas.

On Tuesday Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma visited Mendipathar area and appealed for peace and amity. He was in touch with Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and both of them called for synergised efforts and confidence building measures like holding of peace meetings to restore peace. The trouble broke out on Sunday following a group clash at Mendipathar which escalated with miscreants torching some houses.