Over 1000 flee violence-hit Manipur, take shelter in Assam’s Cachar

SILCHAR/GUWAHATI: Over 1,000 people have fled violence-hit Manipur to take shelter in the bordering Cachar district of Assam on Friday. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has asked the district administration to take care of them.
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According to reports, people belonging to non-Meitei communities of Manipur’s Jiribam district have started pouring into Cachar’s Lakhipur subdivision since Thursday night.

Sarma, in a tweet said, “Several families affected by the recent incidents in Manipur have sought refuge in Assam. I have requested the District Administration of #Cachar to take care of these families.I am also in constant communication with the HCM @NBirenSingh and have pledged the full support of the Assam Government during this hour of crisis.”
Cachar SP Numal Mahatta said, “It came to our notice that since Thursday night, people from Manipur began crossing the Jiri river which divides Assam and Manipur in this part of the state. The administration made elaborate arrangements to provide shelter to whoever is coming to Assam from troubled Manipur without considering their racial identity.” Mahatta said Cachar deputy commissioner Rohan Kumar Jha and other senior officials have been stationed in Lakhipur to take care of the situation. The Manipur residents have been given refuge in six camps in different schools and community halls of Lakhipur subdivision. They are being provided with ration and other essentials, the SP said, adding that many people have also taken shelter in their relatives’ houses.
Jha told the media on Friday evening that people from Manipur have come to Cachar mainly because of fear due to the prevailing violence in the neighbouring state. He said ration for two days has been provided as of now and more will be given as required. The situation along the border area is peaceful, he added. The DC appealed to the general public not to spread any rumours related to the unrest in Manipur.
Violent clashes broke out in various parts of Manipur on Wednesday during a rally to protest against the demand for inclusion of the state’s majority Meitei community in ST list.