Title - In Assam, a sea of people return home

Guwahati: Hundreds of North-East citizens arrived in Guwahati this morning after a long journey from cities in the south like Hyderabad and Bangalore. At Guwahati station, there is a sea of people; security guards, hotel and office boys, many of whom don't know when they will go back.

"I was in Bangalore for nine months. I won't go back, even if I don't get any work in Assam," says Albert, one of the boys. "We have the right to stay to anywhere in the country. What is happening is not right," says another. 

Over the last week, cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore and Pune have been on edge with their large North-Eastern communities feeling insecure about their safety. In the last month, nearly 80 people have died in ethnic violence in Assam and doctored MMS-es and text messages have infected other states, warning that students and professionals from the North East will be attacked.

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At the station, a few of those who have returned say the threats were real and not perceived. "They threatened us directly. Not on the phone. They told us to leave. No one in the police helped," revealed a man who returned from Bangalore.

Most of these boys are from remote parts of Assam--Lakhimpur, Majuli, Sibsagar. For many  the lack of employment opportunities in Assam means staying back is not an option. "When it calms down, we will have to go back. Don't know how long we will stay here because we have to think of the future," says Abhijit.

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told NDTV he has been in touch with the Chief Ministers of various states who assured him that precautionary measures have been put into place. He also stated he wanted people to go back as soon as possible. "Our desire is that they go back. We will arrange for special trains from here to southern states whenever they want," said Mr Gogoi.

So while there are fewer people reaching railway stations in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune, to go back home to the North East today, the ones who left say they had no other choice.

The government in the meanwhile has promised to track down those who triggered panic in the North-Eastern community in Bangalore and other cities by sending out threatening and incendiary messages and has banned bulk SMSes and MMSes for the next 15 days.