GUWAHATI, Aug 23 � Expressing concern over the large-scale exodus of people of the North-east working in South Indian States including Maharashtra back to their home States, the Assam Association, Mumbai, said that all the terror SMSes in circulation were coming only to the vulnerable sections such as people employed in small establishments, and as security guards, hotel waiters, chicken farms workers, etc.
�We have not found any such SMS coming to any of our people working in organizations like ONGC and other big companies where a sizeable number of people belonging to Assam and other north-eastern States are employed. So miscreants are sending the SMSes after getting selective information about mobile numbers of people from the North-east who are in small jobs,� Association general secretary Deepen Rajkonwar said.
Seeking a probe by Maharashtra Police into this curious aspect as also other necessary intervention to instill a sense of security among the north-easterners working in South India, the association said that relevant information concerning the SMSes can be provided by the mobile network service providers and their employees.
�We request you to form a special team to investigate this angle,� the association said in a memorandum to the Director General of Police, Maharashtra.
Noting that large-scale migration of people of the North-east was taking place from Mumbai, Pune, Karjat, Nasik and other places in Maharashtra following terror rumours, the association in its memorandum urged Maharashtra Police to initiate effective measures to assure them about their safety.
�We would request the Maharashtra Police to strengthen security measures at bus stands, market places, railway stations, student hostels and campuses. We also assure you of our whole hearted cooperation, if required, in implementing such measures,� Rajkonwar said that it tried to persuade the people not to go back to their native homes but �our assurances could not allay their apprehensions about their safety.�
