Home coming natives welcomed at Mao Gate
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 21 2012: Since August 20 till date, 129 Manipuri students and professionals staying in Bangalore have left the city and returned home.

Seventy to eighty of them are expected to arrive at Guwahati tomorrow.

To assist the homecoming natives, a helpline has been opened in the spirit of brotherhood at Mao under the joint aegis of United Naga Council, All Naga Students' Association Manipur, Senapati District Students' Association, Naga People's Organisation, Mao Students' Union and Senapati District Women's Association.

Leaders of these organisations accorded a warm reception to the homecoming Manipuri natives on their arrival at Mao Gate today.

Volunteers manning the helpline first collected names, addresses and registration numbers of vehicles in which they were travelling and offered lunch at two hotels arranged in advance.

Helping hand extended to native returning home at Mao Gate

Snack items were given to others who preferred to forgo lunch.

NPO president ML Markson said that the helpline has made all arrangements to provide any sort of assistance needed for Manipuri people who are returning to their home State because of 'human problems' in different cities of India.

Even medical aid has been arranged in case of emergency.

As there are reports about working people unable to draw their salaries before leaving Bangalore in addition to financial difficulties faced by the homecoming students, all arrangements have been made to provide all possible assistance to them once they reach Mao Gate, said Markson.

Though the said organisations have opened the helpline, they are enduring financial shortage.

As such, they have decided to seek aid from the State Government and the district administration.

The Senapati Town Committee is also helping in a big way.

Though the helpline was originally opened for six days, its period of operation would be decided based on the situation in Maharastra and Karnataka after communication with students based in these States.

State natives who reached Mao Gate today from Bangalore were gratified on seeing the volunteers and their act of kindness and brotherhood.

Letngam Singson from Churachandpur narrated the anxious days he experienced in Bangalore.

While going out at night, he was stalked by a group people who wielded knives, and he was even threatened directly at one instance.

"Though their intention did not look like they were going to kill us, we were nonetheless terrified", Letngam Singson said.

Other returnees too narrated about their experiences in Bangalore which ranges from direct assault, threats to go back to Manipur, confiscation of mobile phones and other belongings at night.