Death Of Scribe In Police Firing While In Line Of Duty
Bereaved widow sees no place for solace
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 27 2012: "I can never forget nor forgive the killing of my husband.

No amount of money and properties can ever replace a loved one," said late Dwijamani's wife Thangjam (O) Narmada.

Talking to The Sangai Express, Narmada, holding her six months hold baby in her bosom and the six year old son on her lap said that Dwijamani was the sole bread earner for their family.

"Now with my husband's life suddenly cut short, all the responsibility of bringing up the two children lies on my shoulder", Narmada said in a sombre tone.

Thangjam Dwijamani who was lovingly called Nanao by his family, neighbours and acquaintances alike died at RIMS after he was shot by police on December 23 during a violent protest demonstration against the molest of a film actress by one NSCN-IM militant at Thangmeiband Sinam Leikai.

Late Dwijamani was the youngest of the seven siblings born to late Brajamani and Chojon of Thangmeiband Sinam Leikai.

Brajamani was suffering from kidney infection unable to do any productive work for a long period.

In addition to undergoing surgical operation twice outside the State, Brajamani was taking medicines continuously for more than 17 years.

Late Dwijamani with his child

Given such harsh condition of life, Dwijamani and all her brothers and sisters could not complete formal education.

It was their mother Chojon who fished at Lamphelpat and gathered koukha in her struggle to provide some formal education to her youngest son Dwijamani.

As such, Dwijamani endured all the misery of poverty since a very tender age.

Since childhood, Dwijamani had a fancy for cameras and he followed elders who were adept in operating cameras and clicking pictures starting from his school and college days.

Even as he had learnt the art of taking perfect pictures, he was disappointed for he could not buy any camera.

It was his sheer hard work which earned him the title of a professional cameraman.

Somehow he completed up to Class XII while simultaneously working to keep the kitchen fire burning.

After this, he could not pursue any further formal education.

After much struggle and with the help of his sisters and brothers, Dwijamani could purchase a camera which cost Rs 1.20 lakh about 12 years back.

Equipped with this camera, Dwijamani joined the profession of shooting digital films as well as musical albums.

He also worked as professional videographer of marriage ceremonies.

He was given appreciation certificates by different film production companies for his impeccable work as cameraman of films like Ayukki Likla (2005), Nungshi Hekta Hairage (2005) etc.

He used to work in Effective Television (NE-TV) in 2006 .

He also worked as cameraman of Prime News before he became a stringer DDK Guwahati.

Dwijamani, born on November 6, 1978 was soft-spoken, persevering and respectful.

"With whatever amount earned by my husband, we were living a humble but contented life without ever borrowing money from others.

One special quality of my husband was that he never got angry", Narmada said with tears welling up in her eyes.

Dwijamani was planning to buy a better camera after selling out the existing camera.

Recalling that Dwijamani never let get off his camera till the last breadth, Narmada said that the camera has become a heirloom and the most valued possession of the family.

" I must live for the sake of my two children and I would be more than happy to accept any kind of job offered by the Government" .

"I'm proud of being widow of a journalist dedicated to his duty who was equally concerned about his responsibility towards the family," Narmada said quite candidly.

On that fateful date, Dwijamani was in the line of duty with his identity card slung around his neck and he would have never expected that police would open fire at him.

But he was hit by police bullet and killed, Narmada said.

She further appealed to all concerned to avoid similar gruesome incidents in future.

Narmada is also facing another dilemma thinking how she would respond to her young kid when he asks the killer of his father for the kid aspires to become a police officer when he grows up.