Silchar, March 22: An exodus of Khasis living in the border areas of Cachar district in Assam is on following the murder of a village headman on March 11.

Thomas Tariang, headman of Khasi-dominated Boro Damcherra village near the Cachar-North Cachar border area, was found murdered in his home. His body bore multiple injury marks.

Nearly 70 Khasi families and a minuscule Kuki population have fled from Chandranathpur gaon panchayat area under Borkhola block during the past few days to take shelter at Damcherra village, about 25 km west of here.

The migrants are mainly subsisting on the food provided by the locals and staying under the open sky.

Tariang was a popular leader of the Khasi tribe in the area and the secretary of the village defence party. His murder was capped by sporadic incidents of extortion and abduction of Khasis by Dimasa and Kuki militants sneaking into the district from the adjacent North Cachar hill.

Two Khasi farmers were abducted recently from Boro Damcherra, Chhoto Damcherra and Kuki Punji areas. Chandranathpur gaon panchayat president Sridam Debnath, who first reported the exodus of Khasis to Borkhola block authorities, said the panchayat staff had been providing food relief to the refugees.

The distressed tribals submitted a memorandum to the Cachar district administration seeking help. Early this week, they had submitted a memorandum to Borkhola MLA and Assam minister of state for co-operation Misbahul Islam Laskar, demanding security against the alleged atrocity on them by Dimasa, Naga and Kuki militants.

The Dima Halam Daoga (DHD), a militant organisation based at Haflong, today denied the involvement of their cadres in the alleged atrocity committed on the Khasi villagers.