Post withdrawal of BSF, CRPF troops for poll duty...
Moreh reels under renewed crime spree
Source: The Sangai Express

Moreh, May 24 2024: Theft and other crimes are on the rise in Moreh after Border Security Force and Central Reserve Police Force were removed from the tense border town recently.

Without the presence of the security forces, properties left behind by Meitei residents who had fled the town during the peak of the one-year-old violent crisis are being looted by "Kukis" in broad daylight, said Meetei Council Moreh (MCM) president M Thoiba.

While many houses, shops, and schools belonging to Meiteis were vandalised and burnt during the peak of the violence, what is left of the properties are being looted now, he said.

Notably, Moreh bordering Myanmar has seen some of the worst violence, and there are no Meitei residents left in the town, dominated by the Kuki community.

Kuki militants' attacks on security forces in Moreh have injured and killed several personnel.

Chingtham Anandkumar, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Moreh was sniped and killed by Kuki militants on October 31, 2023 .

Meanwhile, Thoiba said a huge security gap has been left behind after the removal of the BSF and CRPF personnel who were earlier deployed in the town to maintain peace and order.

While there are some State security forces in the town, they lack the strength to completely secure the whole of the town, he added.

He said a huge number of BSF and CRPF personnel were earlier stationed at the Eastern Shine School, run by the Meitei Education Society, Moreh.

After the security forces were removed from the border town against the wishes of the people, miscreants belonging to the Kuki community started looting properties of the Meiteis, he claimed.

Thoiba asserted that the roofing tin sheets of Eastern Shine School, where security forces were earlier stationed, have been looted in broad daylight.

There are still some Central security forces in Moreh including the Assam Rifles, but they have not taken up any action to stop the looting of the properties belonging to the Meiteis, Thoiba claimed.

Meiteis were forced to flee the town to save their lives from the onslaught of the Kuki militants.

It is the duty of the Government and the security forces to look after and save their properties.

The BSF and CRPF which have been removed must be brought back, he said.

Thoiba recalled that the people and the Meetei Council Moreh had submitted representations and made several appeals to the Centre and the State Government against removing the security forces from the sensitive town.

Now the security forces have been removed against the wishes of the people, and crimes are on the rise in the town, he added.

It may be noted that the Meiteis who had fled Moreh are now taking shelter in several relief camps in Imphal, Thoubal and other districts in the valley.

Violence between the Meiteis and Kukis first broke out on May 3, 2023 after ATSUM's "Tribal Solidarity March" turned violent at the border area between Churachandpur and Bishnupur district.

On May 3, 2023, some protesters of Churachandpur at Torbung area were seen wielding assault rifles.

After the protesters turned violent vandalising and burning shops and houses belonging to Meiteis at Torbung and adjoining areas, violence spread to other parts of Manipur including Moreh.

Manipur's Moreh share a porous border with Myanmar, and illegal influx of immigrants from across the border has been an issue that is often the centre of many crises in the past and is being held for fanning the present conflict in the State.

The number of Maynmar Nationals crossing the porous border has increased after the February 1, 2021 military coup in Myanmar which resulted in the ongoing fierce fighting between Junta forces and militants of many ethnic communities.

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