Thousands flee Tripura violence

Reinforcements have been sent to the area

Thousands of Bengali settlers have fled their villages in the north-east Indian state of Tripura after an outbreak of ethnic violence.

West Tripura District Magistrate Monaj Kumar told the BBC that nearly 10,000 Bengalis had taken shelter in makeshift camps.

More than 40 people, most of them Bengali-speaking migrants, have been killed so far in the violence.

The fighting, which began at the weekend, continued despite the security forces being given shoot-on-sight orders.

This Bengali boy was slashed by machete-wielding tribal rebels (Picture: P.P.Singh)

A curfew has been declared in the worst-hit areas, mostly in the western parts of the state.

Delhi has agreed to a request from the Tripura Government for additional troops to be sent out. Attack

Police said the situation was tense, but under control.

More bodies continued to be recovered from a clash between the Bengalis and Tripura's indigenous tribals, which began on Saturday.

The attack took place near the town of Kalyanpur.

The victims were among more than 200 Bengalis who had taken refuge in a village school after earlier violence.

Rebels from the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) attacked the building with grenades and then opened fire indiscriminately with automatic rifles.

Police say the attack took place shortly after midnight local time, when the Bengalis were asleep.

Houses belonging to people from both communities were reported to have been set on fire.

The violence from which the Bengalis were fleeing started when at least nine tribal people were killed in attacks by Bengali militants.

Independence

The rebels of the NLFT are fighting for independence for Tripura, and want the removal of all Bengali settlers.

Violence between the two ethnic groups in the region has claimed more than 150 lives this year.

Most of the dead were Bengalis.

Officials say extra police and paramilitary forces are being sent to the area to try to control the violence.

An indefinite curfew was imposed in parts of Tripura and security forces are said to be on full alert across the whole state.