Curfew Lifted From Violence-Hit Areas of Meghalaya

Shillong, Jan 20 : Curfew was today lifted from all troubled pockets in East Garo Hills district of Meghalaya,which had been rocked by ethnic violence.

Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi said curfew was lifted from all areas in the district.

An official team from East Garo Hills, led by Bakshi,visited Khamari and Bongaon relief camps for Rabha community people in Assam's Goalpara district.

The delegation, comprising the Superintendent of Police and administration and church leaders, interacted with the camp inmates and elicited positive response from them.

Bakshi said 11 of the total 14 relief camps were closed till yesterday and over 4,500 people left in the camps now.

Joint patrolling was being carried out in the sensitive places along the border areas.

The East Garo administration asked their Goalpara counterparts in Assam to share information regarding the agitation programs by Rabha groups.

A company of Meghalaya Police has been withdrawn from East Garo Hills, while the additional paramilitary troopers deployed in the violence-hit areas would remain there for sometime.

At least nine people were killed and over 5,000 got displaced in ethnic violence that erupted on January 1 along the border areas of the two neighboring states and went on for 10 days.