Eight temples, 1310 houses of Meeteis burned in CCpur
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, May 14 2023: Informing that eight temples and 1310 houses of Meetei community in differ-ent localities of Churachandpur district have been burned to ashes displacing 7663 Meetei people in the district, and their homestead lands are being bulldozed by mobs in the district, Meetei Society, Churachandpur has appealed to the government to stop such illegal activities and take up appropriate measures so that they can rehabilitate and resettle in their land.

In a statement, the society informed that attack on Meetei localities and burning of houses in proper Churachandpur area began around 6.30 pm on May 3.Local volunteers requested the mob to refrain from such acts but they did not pay any heed.

They informed police about the situation.

Before police arrived, automatic weapons were used by the mob and shots fired towards the Meetei population resulting in injury to some.

In the ensuing altercation, one of the armed mobsters was rounded up by the Meetei volunteers and reported the same to police.

The mobster along with the seized arm was taken by po-lice.

However, the police team refused to stay on guard of the Meetei population by simply saying that they will come with additional force.

Consequently, they informed the situation to helpline number of Assam Rifles.

Later, when the AR troops came, they assured to guard their properties and convinced them to relocate to a safer location.

Asa result, the AR personnel took them to different camps in the night.

The May 4 morning was rela-tively calm in the area.

However, around 11 am, some of their trib-al neighbours called them over the phone that tribal mobs have started vandalising, looting and burning their houses.

They were shocked to hear about the inci-dent since the AR troops assured to guard their properties.

They were further told that the mob looted all the valuable properties and took them in trucks, and burned the houses.

The mob even forced landlords where Meetei people were staying to hand over the room keys and robbed their properties.

They also picked out Meetei houses and marked the same on the gates.

On May 5, the same activities continued as the mob burned the remaining houses during curfew hours and the security forces deployed in the area failed to protect the properties.

The displaced Meetei people were helpless as they could do nothing but to hear reports of vandalism and arson carried out by trib-al mobs during curfew hours.

As on Sunday, all the houses and properties that belonged to the Meetei families in differ-ent pockets of Churachandpur area have been reduced to ashes.

Though they are ready to accept the vandalism and arson of May 3 as an effect of impulse of the mob, the follow up actions have no justification.

What is more heart-breaking is the failure of security forces to safeguard their properties despite enforc-ing curfew.

In the latest report, the mobs are now using excavators to level the homestead lands of Meeteis to convert the same into park/ playgrounds.

There are reports of armed militants using explo-sives to demolish multi-storeyed building, which they could not destroy by excavators, the state-ment said while demanding the government to stop such un-lawful activities immediately.

The Society also demanded the government to make special ar-rangements so that some leaders of Meetei Society along with senior government officials and adequate security can visit the Meetei villages to take stock of the situation, and to take up measures for rehabilitation and resettlement of the displaced Meeteis in their own homestead lands.

The Society further informed that temples of Khuman Pok-pa in Tuibong, Maikei Ngak-pa (North) in Khuga Tampak, Maikei Ngakpa (South) in Khu-mujamba Meetei Leikai, Radha Krishna Mandir (Praja Man-dop Temple) in Mandop Leikai, Nongpok Ningthou in D Phailen, Pakhanga in Thingkangphai, Mata Lairembee in Mata Meetei Leikai and Panthoibi in Torbung have been demolished by the mob.

Number of houses burned by the mob is 30 in Thibong Farm Mamang, 37 in Bijang Khunou Tuibong, 320 in Khuga Tampak & Ingkhol Marup, 15 in Old Ba-zar, 21 in Khuga Meitei Christian Leikai, 21 in Thengra Leirak, 83 in D Phailen Meetei Leikai, 35 in Leimaram Meetei Leikai, 21 in Ngathal Meetei Leikai, 130 in Thingkangphai Meetei Leikai, 53 in Yaiphakol Meetei Leikai, 33 in Mata & Lingshiphai Meetei Leikai, 37 in Saikot & Khopibung Meetei Leikai, 19 in Hmar Veng Meetei Leikai, 13 in Molnom Meetei Leikai, 35 in Mandok Leikai, 54 in Waikhurok Meetei Leikai, 133 in Torbung Bangla Meetei Leikai, and 205 in Khu-mujamba & New Bazar Meetei Leikai, the statement added.

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