Situation improves in Assam; inmates in camps started returning

GUWAHATI: With improvement in overall situation in NDFB(S)-hit areas in Assam, the number of refugees in relief camps today decreased to nearly 2.7 lakhs.

According to a release by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 2,70,370 persons are staying in 135 relief camps in Kokrajhar, Sonitpur, Chirang and Udalguri districts at this moment.

"The number of relief camps and camp inmates have come down during the past 24 hours owing to the improvement in the security scenario," it said.

Around 2.86 lakh persons were sheltered in 139 relief camps in these four districts yesterday.

At present, over 2.22 lakh people are staying at 91 relief camps in Kokrajhar. It is followed by Chirang, where nearly 34,000 people are staying in 25 camps.

The authorities are running 10 relief camps in Sonitpur and nearly 10,000 people are staying at this moment in these places. Udalguri is having nine camps housing around 4,000 inmates.

Altogether 81 people, including 26 women and 18 infants, were killed since December 23 evening in serial attacks by NDFB(S) terrorists, retaliatory violence and police firing across the four districts.

A total of 76 police cases have been registered in connection with the violence. Out of this, 48 are filed in Kokrajhar, 10 each in Udalguri and Chirang and 8 in Sonitpur, the release said.

The additional forces deployed in the affected districts have set up pickets and barracks in the vulnerable places.

Curfew has been lifted completely in Sonitpur, while night curfew is still going on at some places of others districts as precautionary measure, it said.

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is reviewing the situation on daily basis with senior government and police officials, the release said.