High Court asks State for measures taken to protect abandoned homes of displaced persons in Moreh

The Court was hearing a plea by a Congress leader alleging that abandoned homes of the Meitei and other communities in Moreh were being looted and set ablaze by miscreants.

The Manipur High Court recently ordered the State government to spell out the measures taken to protect the abandoned homes of displaced persons in violence-hit Moreh town [Khumanthem Devabrata Singh v. State of Manipur].

A Bench of Justices Ahanthem Bimol Singh and A Guneshwar Sharma also ordered the State government to file an affidavit detailing the lapses on its part in failing to protect the abandoned houses, several of which were allegedly burned and looted. 

The Bench has granted two weeks for the same, as requested by the State through Additional Advocate General M Devananda. 

The Court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Congress leader Khumanthem Devabrata Singh, who highlighted the fact that the homes of the Meitei and other minor communities were being looted and set ablaze by miscreants. 

Senior Advocate S Biswajit, representing the petitioner, submitted that despite two interim orders of the High Court directing the authorities to provide security at Moreh town for the abandoned houses of displaced people, around 20 such empty houses have been set ablaze, while other properties were looted.

He also submitted that there has been a total failure on the part of the security forces stationed at Moreh to safeguard the properties of the displaced people.

After allowing the prayer, the Court sought a response from the State and listed the matter for further hearing on August 31.