Preying on abandoned houses
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: April 16, 2025 -

THOUGH it is commendable that swift action taken by the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel on April 13 led to the rounding up two persons who were trying to steal construction materials from an abandoned Meetei house in Moreh, similar incidents reported periodically from the border town under Tengnoupal district and erstwhile Meetei settlements at Churachandpur district headquarters testify not only presence of elements hell-bent on wiping up the Meetei footprints beyond the valley districts but also lack of initiatives by the district administrations to prevent further destruction of standing properties, unlike in areas under the twin capital districts where the abandoned Kuki houses are either being occupied by the central forces or the violence affected localities have been sealed and guarded by state forces.

No doubt, substantial number of Kuki residences in Imphal were damaged and torched in the initial days of the conflict, but the fact remains that the then BJP-led government issued orders prohibiting unauthorised occupation of the abandoned houses followed by subsequent stationing of central forces in palatial buildings belonging to influential Kuki individuals and legislators.

In sharp contrast to protection of the abandoned Kuki houses, the entire settlements of the Meetei people within the Churachandpur township have been flattened in broad daylight using heavy machineries within weeks of displacement of the affected community, thereby underscoring belated measures to foil pre-meditated destruction of houses left standing after the mob went on the rampage in the first 2-3 days of the violence.

Apart from the destruction Caused to the Meetei houses visuals of the locals chiselling the remaining bricks surfaced on various social media platforms, hinting that the looting spree continued unabated.

While the Churachandpur episode of burglary exposed complicity of the law enforcing agencies, in Moreh town, attempts by miscreants to swoop in on abandoned Meetei houses were thwarted on various occasions, signifying that in-spite of the challenges faced security forces deployed in the border have been shouldering responsibility in securing public as well as private properties.

Regardless of the state forces stationed in Moreh often confronted by hostile locals, a number of Meetei houses remaining unscathed rings out the message that alertness, commitment and sincerity of security personnel are of primary importance in upholding law of the land.

As such, despite growing concerns among internally displaced Meetei residents over continued looting and desecration of their properties, the two thieves apprehended by BSF troopers imply that miscreants should not take things for granted.

As reported, a team of 66 Battalion BSF spotted suspicious activity in a building and on investigation found two men removing CGI roofing sheets from an abandoned house, with both suspects handed over to Moreh police station and charged under relevant provisions of law. In-spite of the alert BSF troopers foiling the burglary bid, there is no guarantee that similar incidents wouldn't recur as it is obvious that collapse of trade and commerce activities in Moreh town, heralded as the gateway to Southeast Asia, has seriously impacted livelihood source of the local population.

In view of possibility of similar unlawful activities in their struggle for survival and looting of the abandoned houses left as the most convenient means of income generation, security forces need to maintain constant vigil as failure to do so might trigger unwanted incidents and hinder return of peace in the state.