'Hunger-stricken' villagers raid godown, take away rice

Aizawl, Aug 17 (UNI) About 47 families of Selam village under Ngopa sub-division forcibly entered a state godown at Kawlbem village and took away rice stocks, police today said.

The store-keeper on duty could not stop the villagers from breaking open the godown's lock yesterday and had to call for help from the Young Mizo Association and the village council leaders.

However, the village leaders managed to calm the ''raiders'' down after promising 30 kg of rice from the godown to every villager.

The villagers were expected to pay for the rice from their earnings from the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Ngopa SDO(C) Joseph Lalrinawma, who rushed to the village, said the families were desperate due to starvation and lack of food.

The cyclic bamboo flowering, locally referred to as 'Mautam', had already occured in many villages in the state.

Mautam results in proliferation of rodents in large numbers which feed on the bamboo flowers and later attack rice field.

Farmers in many villages had incurred huge losses due to rodent attacks last year.

UNI