Awaiting ‘doomsday’, 9 Meghalaya families wrap up affairs

Nine tribal families, residents of a remote village in West Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya, have secluded themselves from the society, quit jobs, withdrawn children from school and also emptied their bank accounts, after a self-styled ‘prophet’ convinced them that “doomsday” was near and there was no point pursuing worldly pleasures.

West Khasi Hills district deputy commissioner, S Kharlyngdoh said he was aware of the incident but was unable to take any action “because there was nothing illegal or criminal about it.”

Is it a crime under any provision of the law? How can we interfere? It is a religious matter and would hurt religious sentiments,” he told The Indian Express over the telephone from the district headquarter, in Nongstoin on Thursday.

According to reports carried by the local media in Shillong, the nine families included those of two government employees and three school teachers, all of whom had resigned from their government jobs and are reportedly waiting for the world to come to an end any time, came under the influence of an un-named preacher who arrived in their village two years ago and told people that there was no point holding on to wealth,jobs and cash because the world was coming to an end at any moment. While most villagers did not bother to believe, these nine families thought the ‘prophet’ was right. Residents of Nongthhliew village under Mairang block said, they have been waiting for about two years now, reports said.

Village headman Spotting Mawlong said, the nine families, all belonging to a particular Christian denomination have also refused to accept foodgrains provided by the government under the public distribution system.

They have also thrown away their electronic voter identity cards (EPIC) and other documents.

The families have apparently also stopped going to Church and have taken to ‘internal prayers’ in their respective homes. “Efforts by some village elders and church officials to bring them out of their strange belief have not yielded any result,” the headman quoted.

“They only told us that they trust in the Holy Spirit after we tried to intervene,” the headman reportedly said.

Source:: Indian Express