Guwahati: The four-day-old curfew in violence-hit NC Hills district of Assam was relaxed for four hours on April 12 from 10 am (IST), as no untoward incident has been reported so far.

Official sources said shops and markets opened as soon as the curfew was relaxed, with people rushing out to buy essentials. There were reports that the prices of food items had gone up, with potatoes costing Rs 20 per kg.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Home I D Swami came to Silchar on April 12 to take stock of the situation in Cachar and NC Hills districts, where clashes between Dimasa and Hmar communities erupted early this month.

Accompanied by top officials of the Ministry Of Home Affairs, Swami would visit the Dholai and Hmarculian camps in the Lakhipur areas, where riot-hit victims were lodged.

Later the Union Minister was scheduled to go to Halflong.

Stating five Assam police battalions had been deployed in the district, sources said the security forces were keeping a strict vigil on the situation, which was described as tense.

PTI