Non-locals housed at Dharamsala
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 06 2009: In the wake of recent spate of attacking and killing non-local people by unidentified armed persons, the State Police have picked up non-local people from different places and given shelter at Dharamsala here since last afternoon.

The non-local people currently housed at Dharamsala were brought from Mayang Imphal, Wangoi, Hiyangthang, Samurou, Langol etc.

A group of migrant workers/non-locals currently taking shelter at the Dharmshala in Thangal Bazar.

However, there has not been any form of assistance from the Government to the non-Manipuris.

They have been paying for their food in hotels, according to sources.

One Rakesh Thakur who used to run a hair-cutting saloon at Samurou Bazar said he and other were brought to the Dharamsala camp by police saying they would be given accommodation at a safer place following the sporadic attacks on non-local people.

However, the State Government has not been providing any assistance towards the camp housing around 50 non-local people, he lamented.

Further, the camp is neither under any relief committee.

As such, the inmates have been paying for their food in hotels.

Being jobless and coupled with many of them falling ill, the inmates have been facing severe difficulties, Rakesh appealed to the Government to address the situation positively at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the State Government has put in place stringent security measures to thwart any further attacks on migrant workers.

Moreover, mobile police teams have been activated to keep strict vigil at places were non-local labourers usually put up.

Police have also started checking passenger vehicles to see any migrant worker was travelling beyond Imphal city.

Talking to The Sangai Express, Additional SP Imphal West AK Jhaljit said that migrant workers have been prevented from going to isolated places beyond Imphal city.

Others who went outside the capital town have also been asked come back in view of the threats they are facing, Jhaljit said.

He informed that more security forces have been deployed in strategic areas to foil any subversive activity by UG groups.

In renewed attack against the non-local people, three migrant workers have been killed besides causing critical bullet injury to another in the past few days.

Counting the latest attacks, over 30 non-local people have been killed in the four valley districts since March 2008 .

Conspicuously, no individual or armed groups have claimed responsibility for the attacks nor explained the killings.