Forty houses of Chin people were burnt down by Mizoram authorities of Vaphai village, Champhai district of Mizoram state, northeast India on 29 April.
The houses in Saikhumphai village were set on fire by a hundred Vaphai villagers in the morning, said a Chin national from Saikhumphai.
“The people between the ages of 15 and 60 came to Saikhumphai in the morning and participated in the arson. Some villagers came to our village from the Tiau river side and set fire to our houses,” said a local.
The locals said the arsonists used kerosene in bottles to set fire to the houses. The bottles were thrown at the houses in Saikhumphai. All the houses were reduced to ashes, said a local.
Some villagers could salvage only some pots and pans, clothing and some household utensils from their homes. They are wandering in the surrounding areas of Saikhumphai and are staying in temporary tents.
“The villagers are crying and are staying on the road side in Saikhumphai,” said a local from Saikhumphai.
The local people of Saikhumphai told Khonumthung that some of the villagers had Indian citizenship identity cards, but Pu Lalrohlua, the Block Development officer of Khuabung village of Champhai district found during his verification on Saikhumphai that there are 11 families with 73 members staying illegally in the village since 25 October 2012.
That is why the district magistrate of Champhai issued an order directing the remaining foreigners to leave and wanted full relocation of the village on 31 October 2012.
The report by Pu Lalrohlua found that Pu Fungthanga, Vanlalkunga, Rozama, Rinmuani, Tialmenpari, Manglianhrea, Rohungliana, Lalnunthanga, Paktinthanga, Tawkruaia and Thawngliankapa families with the 73 members were staying in the village.
Local peopled alleged that 40 houses were burnt down by the Vaphai village authority.
It learnt that Saikhumphai village was established in 1963 with some refugees from Chin state, Burma and then the Vaphai village authority had recognized it as part of Vaphai block.