Russian officials report that all the Roma families in two villages have departed. This comes as a large brawl erupted, leaving one person dead.
Police reported that 28 people were put behind bars in connection with the fight in the village of Chemodanovka, which is about 550 kilometers (330 miles) southeast of Moscow.
The very root of the fight between Roma and residents of other ethnicities hasn’t been determined. However, some Russian media reports said it erupted from children’s quarrel.
On Monday, the RIA-Novosti news agency quoted Sergei Fadeev, Chemodanovka council leader saying all of the Roma villagers from there and the neighboring settlement of Lopatki had departed. He denied earlier reports of their being forced out.
Dina Cheremushkina, a spokeswoman for the regional governor, said that about 130 Roma houses were emptied, according to RIA-Novosti.