Title - Fearing attacks, 5000 people from northeast flee Bangalore

BANGALORE: People from the northeast are leaving Bangalore in hordes following wild rumours that they would be targeted even as Karnataka's top cop has sought to allay their fears by promising them full protection.

Hundreds of people from the region are headed home if one goes by the number of tickets sold by the railways.Railway authorities confirm they have sold nearly 5,000 tickets to people bound for Guwahati and beyond.

We are overbooked.We have arranged a 20-compartment special train to Guwahati, N Ramesh,senior deputy commercial manager (railways ),Bangalore division,said.Given the rush for tick ets,we may have to arrange more trains, Ramesh said.

IGP Lalrokhuma Pachau attributed the apprehensions to rumours and said no incident of intimidation of northeastern people has come to the notice of police.

Commissioner BG Jyothi Prakash Mirji said the cops are ready to go to the door steps of northeastern stu dents if there is any instance of them being threatened.

The panic reaction comes in the wake of rumours being spread through SMSs,chain mails and social networking sites that people from the northeast would be attacked in Bangalore.Intelligence sou rces said at least 4,000 people flocked to the Bangalore City railway station on Wednes day evening to board the two trains to Guwahati.