messages circulated among NE residents and threats by miscreants led to mass exodus in special trains that were arranged from Bangalore to Guwahati in order to cater the sudden rise in demands for tickets from NE residents. Despite repeated requests from the state government, ministers panic-gripped NE residents were reluctant to stay back in the IT city.  All of a sudden within three days about 30,000 NE students, professionals, people working is service sector fled the city.

Obviously, migrant NE residents thought that being in their motherland with parents, relatives and friends is safer than living with amid fears of possible attack.

A month after the mass exodus, the normalcy gradually returned and those fled started coming back  to the Silicon city with a calm mind. According to Peace and Solidarity Forum, Bangalore formed for the support of North East people, approximately 3,700 people came back to the city.  Special trains have also been  arranged from Guwahati to carry NE residents to Bangalore and other southern states.

National executive committee member of the ABVP Sanjeev Kumar says, “According to the records of the colleges, almost all students are back in colleges. They are taking their practical exams.  Colleges are taking extra classes for NE students to help them recover the loss of classes. Confidence level also increased among them and they are out of fear.”

But the rumour-triggered exodus has created a disaster in the life of labour class people working in service sector. Overnight they left their jobs and homes in a huff.

Sukum a diploma student of Darbar College in Bijapur also supports Sanjeev’s view and says that there is absolutely no reason to fear about  in the college. He is also ready to travel to Bangalore to meet his friends without any fear playing in his mind.

But the rumour-triggered exodus has created a disaster in the life of labour class people working in service sector. Overnight they left their jobs and homes in a huff. Though the fear psychosis sent them rushing  to their motherland, their livelihood is in Bangalore. Those who have come back to Bangalore in search of their livelihood again  are now facing difficulty as they have already lost their previous jobs.  They have suffered economically and are facing mental agony over loss of job. The state government which was earlier very keen to stop the mass exodus, has not done anything for control  such damage in the aftermath the incident.

Sanjeev says, “In most of the cases of those who have returned from the N-E, finding employment has been a problem. Their previous employer is not ready to take them back.  Most of them are now desperately looking for jobs in the city.’’

Solonki who works in a city-based restaurant says, “ My earlier employer denied to provide me job again. I have, however, found another job in a newspaper”.

While people are returning to city with the hope of peaceful life, a 20-year-old employee of a BPO who hails  from the north-eastern state of Nagaland, was stabbed by two miscreants on Hosur road recently. An unidentified miscreant attacked Sumit Das when he was on his way back to his residence at Are Kempanahalli on Hosur road. They warned him of killing if he is seen in that locality again.  Police have assured protection to frightened Das.

Assam resident Keith who stays in Bangalore with his two younger brothers says that “My younger brothers faced a threat a week ago from few miscreants. Through NE residents Association we filed a complaint in police station. We have shifted our home too because of the threat’’.

At the same time the missing of a girl Anisha Duarah from Guwahati has created confusions in the city. She  has been missing since the exodus of northeastern people started  from the city. Thus it has raised several questions.

She was studying her graduation in the city-based Oxford College of Arts  and used to stay in college hostel. Her uncle came to take her back to home when the mass exodus began in the city in the month of August. They could not find her. Her relatives suspect that it may be one of the reasons of threat for North Easter people in the city.

NE residents who returned to the city, are now wandering like refugees in search of jobs, shifting houses and living amid fear. Ministers who came to Railway station to stop the mass exodus are totally missing from the scene. NE residents left the city because of insecurity and  most of them  are  still  living with insecurity. Still they are trying to restore their lives along with an unexpressed fear.