Rumours trigger exodus of Assam people from Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Following Saturday's violence in Mumbai, there is panic among migrant workers from Assam settled in Hyderabad for the last decade. Many migrants are now leaving the city for their hometowns. In a worrisome trend, an estimated 3,000 migrants, all from Assam, who lived in bastis such as Siddique Nagar and Anjaiah Nagar in Hi-Tec City, left for their home state on Sunday. Most of them work as security guards and housekeeping staff at the many IT firms dotting Hi-Tec City and have left in a rush, many of them leaving behind their belongings and in some cases also unpaid debts.

On Sunday, the Madhapur police posted a picket at Siddique Nagar and even started regular patrolling of the two bastis, which are inhabited by migrant workers from Assam, Orissa, West Bengal and Bihar. The bastis are also being patrolled through the night. Locals said 70% of the Assamese migrant workers had already fled soon after rumours about people from Assam being targeted started flying thick and fast.

"We have a complaint from the Assamese community that they were threatened. We are in the process of identifying who threatened them and investigating the matter. We have asked the community members to approach the police if there is any problem. We are also trying to identify the total number of people who have left for Assam," said D Tirumala Rao, Cyberabad police commissioner.

On Tuesday, there was simmering tension at these settlements, tucked behind the bustling IT hub of Hyderabad. Locals were seen gathering on the road and discussing in hushed tones the exodus that was taking place. They said that over the last two days hundreds of houses have been deserted. "A lot of my friends have left in the last two days in panic. I tried to stop them but they kept saying they were being targeted and that their families back home were asking them to come back," said Rajan Saki, who hails from Assam and runs a small security agency in Hyderabad. Saki is among the few who have stayed back as he said that nobody has seen anybody attack anyone but there were rumours about people from Assam being threatened and warned by members of a community.

Security agencies' staff shrinks in city

The police and locals maintained that these were only rumours that many migrants were falling prey to. It also appears the problem is limited to a couple of bastis that fall under Cyberabad (Hyderabad and Cyberabad have different commissionerates). When asked about migrants from Assam leaving, Hyderabad police commissioner Anurag Sharma said that these were all rumours and that not a single complaint regarding any threats had been filed with the police. He also said that people should not believe these rumours.

Nevertheless, local security agencies which have many Assamese migrants working with them say their staff has shrunk in the last two days. "About 10 guards from Assam have left since Sunday. They said they were being threatened. There were also frantic calls from their parents asking them to return. They have however promised that they would return once the situation improves," said R Anil, field officer, Paramount Security Services. Leni Mathang of Assam Youth Wing said that many security guards, employees of beauty parlours and domestic helps hailing from Assam lived in Manikeshwari Nagar for many years now are feeling threatened given the mixed profile of communities there. "Many people from northeastern states in general who are working in Hyderabad are worried about their safety," Mathang said.

Now, locals and those who have stayed back and the police are battling such rumours and trying to contain the panic. Saki along with a Madhapur police inspector was seen doing the rounds of Siddique Nagar and Anjaiah Nagar speaking to the Assamese residents there assuring them that they were safe. The police were seen passing on contact numbers of various police officials and even basti leaders they could contact in case of any emergency.