Video clip of mom, 'Am I going to die?' continues to haunt child
Revisiting terror of Nov 7, 2023
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 07 2024:
"Son, Am I going to die?"--Abemcha asked as she took cover under heavy fire from Kuki militants.
A bullet stuck in her abdomen and bleeding profusely, Abemcha lay on the ground.
Beside her is a village volunteer, who is seen consoling her and calling for help and recording the whole ordeal on his phone.
This short video clip of her mother crying in pain still haunts 17-year-old Dolina, who watches the clip over and again.
Khwairakpam ningol Leichombam ongbi Abemcha was 39 when she died.
She was the mother of three children, 17-year-old Dolina, 14-year-old Amish and 4-year-old Asish.
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Dolina is a Class XI student of Ibotonsana Girls' Higher Secondary School.
Leichombam Amish is studying in Class IX at Tombisana High School.
Asish, the youngest, is a pre-nursery student.
At Phayeng High School Relief Camp, Abemcha's eldest daughter, Dolina recalls the incident.
Dolina said the May 3 violence that rocked the border area between Churachandpur and Bishnupur spread to her village, Kangchup Kharang Leikai.
On May 3 and 4, the entire village fled to Phayeng and adjoining villages for safety.
Due to Kuki militants' attacks, houses were burnt and many were damaged, she said.
Initially, the locals of Kangchup used to stay at several houses in Phayeng.
Later, a relief camp was set up at Phayeng High School and the villagers moved there.
"On November 7, my mother went to our village at Kangchup to repair our house.
When she was returning to the relief camp, near Don Bosco School, Kangchup it came under heavy fire at around 11 am.
She was then hit by a bullet fired by Kuki militants," Dolina said.
The bullet hit Abemcha on the right side of her back and remained stuck inside her abdomen.
As she fell on the ground, one of the village volunteers covered her and both of them took cover under heavy fire from Kuki militants.
In the video, recorded by the village volunteer which is widely shared on Facebook, Abemcha is seen groaning in pain and asking the man "Son, am I going to die?" .
The man is heard consoling Abemcha and asking for help and reinforcement to evacuate the wounded.
Abemcha was rushed to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal.
Operations were conducted and the bullet was successfully removed from her body.
However, days later, she succumbed to her injuries on November 17, 2023 .
Abemcha's husband, Leichombam Tondon Meetei said he was guarding the village when the incident occurred.
"I was guarding our village when my wife was hit by a bullet fired by Kuki militants.
I didn't know at the moment.
She called me using the village volunteer's phone and informed me that she had been hit by a bullet.
Due to heavy firing by Kuki militants, I couldn't reach the spot and help her in time," Tondon said, mourning his wife.
Tondon said the children miss their mother.
Dolina blames the "narco-terrorists" and the current conflict for taking the life of her mother.
She said the current conflict since May 3 last year took the lives of many and displaced "thousands of families like ours" .
Dolina said the poor have been worst affected by the conflict.
"I want to appeal to the Government to end this violent conflict.
I want peace.
My mother would have been alive if there was no war and no narco-terrorists," Dolina said.