Title - North Eastern students prepared to leave Karnataka, PM calls CM

Bangalore: Gripped by panic following rumours of attack on some of their compatriots, about 5,000 people of North Eastern states, including students, on Wednesday prepared to return to their home towns even as Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar assured them of security. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde spoke to Shettar on Wednesday night and were understood to have asked him to ensure the safety of people from North Eastern states in Karnataka. The Bangalore City Railway station was flooded with people from North Eastern states to board the available trains as rumours spread that some people from the state had been subjected to attacks in the city, which was promptly denied by police.

Shettar said that he told the Prime Minister and the Home Minister that "there is no untoward incident nor is there any threat to people of North Eastern states. I promised that necessary steps would be taken to give protection to these people". In the wake of abrupt exodus of passengers, the South Western Railway decided to run a special train. Shettar assured protection and deputed Deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka, who also holds Home portfolio to instill confidence in the panic-stricken people and convince them not to leave the city. The Chief Minister said police officials have been using public address system at the railway station to reassure the north eastern people gathered there and assured them protection. Shettar said Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi also spoke to him over phone and he assured him that all possible assistance and protection would be given to his state people. Earlier on Wednesday, Karnataka DGP Lalrukuma Pachau, who also hails from the North East, said interest of these people would be protected and their safety ensured. In Mysore, a Tibetan college student is battling for life on being stabbed in Mysore by two persons who suspected him to be from North Eastern region.