RSS members try to assure fleeing northeastern people

Bangalore, Aug 16: Members belonging to various organisations, including the

, visited the railway station and tried to convince the fleeing people that no violence would be perpetrated against them and

was much safer than Assam.

Karnataka police chief Lalrokhuma Pachuau dismissed the rumours that people from the North East might be targeted as baseless and said not a single case of assault or verbal threat against them had been reported in the state. A probe was on into the "wild rumours", he added. "The situation is completely peaceful. Not even a single incident related to the north-east people has been reported in the whole state," Pachau said.

He said rumours were spread by word of mouth, text messages (SMS) and social networking sites such as Facebook. He averred that mischievous elements must have spread rumours, in the backdrop of Kokrajhar incidents in Assam and the violence in Mumbai that followed a few days later. Railway sources said they might operate additional bogies on Thursday's train to Guwahati, if required.

A large number of people from the northeast, including students, reside in Karnataka, particularly in Bangalore where they are employed in call centres, hotels, beauty parlours and private security services, among others.

PTI