"Yes, we do want to go back and rebuild our homes and lives, but the locals have warned us against doing it," says Deb Pradhan, another refugee in the Raikia relief camp.
"Also, we have still not got the money promised by the state as well as the central government for the riot affected to rebuild houses," he adds.
The block development officer says he cannot release the money unless these people begin rebuilding their homes as per a state government directive. The refugees are not willing to go home for fear of losing their lives, converting the entire episode into a vicious circle.
The BDO has now received threats to his life from the Maoists for not releasing the funds to the refugees.
According to Raikia BDO Debabbrata Jena, the state government has promised Rs 50,000 for those whose houses were completely destroyed and Rs 20,000 for those whose houses were partially destroyed. The central government has promised to deposit Rs 20,000 for the former and Rs 10,000 for the latter in their bank accounts.
But most of the riot victims do not have a bank account. "The BDO is helping people open one," says Ilyas.
Image: Debabbrata Jena, the block development officer, Raikia. Inset: The threat he received from the Maoists
Also see: Who killed Swami Lakshmanananda? | India Votes 2009
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