Almost 60 hours after they fled Bangalore fearing attacks by Muslims,the first batch of about 7,000 passengers from the Northeast arrived at the Guwahati railway station this morning. The two special trains and the regular Bangalore-Guwahati Express reached here between 5 am-9 am. While some complained of threats,many said they would return to Bangalore as soon as possible. It was a difficult journey. We left Bangalore on Wednesday at 11 pm and travelled for over 56 hours in the overcrowded coaches. There were people all over in the toilets and corridors as well, said Jina Daimary,who was working in a beauty parlour in Bangalore. She was accompanied by her husband,Mukut Daimary,and nine-month-old daughter Arlina. My daughter had a difficult time because there was no proper food for her. We were also scared of being attacked during our journey, she said. Her husband,who hails from Kalmanipara village in Udalguri district of Assam,was working in a restaurant called China Bowl in Bangalore for the last eight years. Some people came after us last week,threatening us,assaulting some of us,and then creating a situation where we had to flee, he said. The couple together earn about Rs 20,000 per month,of which they send Rs 8,000-10,000 to their family here. There was talk that they will harm us after Eid. One Nepali boy from Assam was beaten up. On August 14,three groups came and warned us to leave before Ramzan was over, said Mukesh Pegu,a Mishing tribal from Sisikalghar village in Dhemaji district. Pegu and 20 other youths from his village were working as security guards and office boys in different companies in Bangalore for the last four to five years. Ruguonou Chasie,19,an Angami girl from Nagaland who was working at a beauty salon in Bangalore,said: We always heard that Bangalore was a safe place. There is no eve-teasing or hooliganism there. But suddenly we were targeted and threatened. There were many others from Nagaland,Arunachal Pradesh and other Northeastern states in the crowd. Some said they had received SMSes about the threat. Others said their landlords asked them to leave fearing trouble. Many said their families had urged them to return following media reports. We felt insecure. The news that we will be attacked after August 21 spread like wildfire. We had no option but to rush to the railway station and catch the first available train, said Louis Daimary,22,of Dhekiajuli in Sonitpur district. He and 14 others from his village worked in different restaurants,shops and security agencies in Bangalore. However,many said they wanted to return to Bangalore soon. We cannot afford to sit idle in Assam. There is no job opportunity here. Moreover,Bangalore was safe and peaceful till last week. I want the government to find the culprits and take action against them, said Kushal Basumatary of Dhekiajuli,who said he earns about Rs 5,000 per month in a restaurant. Our families here will starve if we do not go back to work, said Jintu Deuri of Sadiya in Tinsukia district,a security guard,whose monthly income,including overtime,is about Rs 6,000,of which he sends half to his ailing parents here. We will watch for a few days. Let the police catch the culprits. We cannot sit idle. Our land has been rendered useless by repeated floods in the last decade, said Ranjit Bhagawati of Bhangidiya Kalitagaon in Dhemaji. We want to return to Bangalore as quickly as possible. In fact,more youths from here should go there. There is so much work there, said Agoi Reme,who,along with seven others from Dimapur,works in a Coca Cola factory in Bangalore.
