Repeated temple thefts in Moreh raise concern
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, April 12 2025: Internally displaced Meetei residents from Moreh, currently taking shelter at Lamding Higher Secondary School relief camp, have raised alarm over repeated incidents of theft and vandalism targeting their community properties in the border town, particularly sacred temples and abandoned homes.

One of the latest incidents reported by the displaced people involves the theft of roofing sheets from Nongpok Ningthou Nongpok Panthoibi Shanglen and Meetei Shanglen, two important religious and community structures located adjacent to the Moreh Power House office.

The displaced families say the recurring thefts reflect a worsening situation and breakdown of security in the town.

Leishangthem Tameng Leima, one of the displaced residents, said they were forced to abandon their homes on the evening of March 3, 2023, when a large Kuki mob, allegedly backed by Kuki narco-terrorists, launched a violent and unprecedented attack on Meetei residents in Moreh.

"Many houses were vandalised, and several were set on fire.

We fled to save our lives with nothing on our back," she said.

Since then, the IDPs alleged, Kuki individuals have repeatedly targeted abandoned Meetei properties, including not only homes but also temples and other cultural structures.

Tameng said that the temples, which hold deep cultural and religious significance, are being looted in their absence.

"In the last 23 months, these acts of stealing and desecration have continued.

With no strong police presence, the miscreants are freely carrying out such activities with little intervention.

Our temples are not just buildings - they are part of our identity," she added.

The displaced families have urged the state government to take urgent steps to strengthen the personnel capacity of Moreh police station and to ensure regular patrolling of the area.

They say that the present security setup in Moreh is inadequate to prevent such crimes and protect what remains of their homes and places of worship.

The issue has become a growing concern for the displaced community, who not only continue to suffer the trauma of displacement but now face the pain of watching their ancestral properties and sacred spaces being destroyed or looted in their absence.

They appealed to the government to restore law and order in Moreh and to ensure that displaced residents' properties are secured until a time they can return safely.

Mention may be made that in the aftermath of the May 3, 2023 outbreak of violence following a tribal solidarity march organised by ATSUM in Churachandpur district, Meetei properties were systematically destroyed.

The participants of the march initially targeted government facilities, especially forest offices, before shifting their focus to Meetei houses in Kangvai, Torbung, and Phougakchao Ikhai areas.

The attacks on Meetei began after some unknown miscreants allegedly set fire a couple of old vehicle tyres at the concrete base of the "Anglo-Kuki War Centenary Gate" at Leishang village, situated around four kilometres from the last Meetei village on the Bishnupur-Churachandpur border.

As Meetei residents fled the district to escape the violence, Kuki groups used bulldozers to level Meetei localities like Khumujamba Meetei Leikai to the ground, leaving no trace of their homes and settlements.

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