Humanity burnt to ashes along with my child, says Joshua Hangshing
Source: The Sangai Express

Kangpokpi, June 10 2023: Finding him covered with blood, all my body got numb, said Joshua Hangshing, the father of the minor boy who was killed along with his mother and another woman near Iroisemba by a mob in Imphal West June 4 .

"It was around 4 pm in the afternoon on June 4, I returned to the relief camp at the Water Treatment Plant inside the 22 Assam Rifles, Kangchup Post, where my family along with a few other Kukis were taking shelter after the violence erupted in Manipur.

"The moment when my son saw me, he yelled, "Papa, Papa" from the window, and he went silent.

Then, my wife, Meena called me "Papa, come and see what happened to our son".

I rushed to the room and I saw my son covered with blood from his head and crying in pain.

I was so shocked that I went into semi-consciousness and all my body got numb," said Joshua Hangshing.

Joshua Hangshing belongs to the Kuki tribe and his wife Meena was from the Meitei community.

Joshua is a mason by profession.

Lydia, the wife of Naoton, who was allegedly burnt alive together with the minor boy and his mother was a Meitei Christian.

Narrating the ordeal, Joshua Hangshing said "I suspect my son was hit on his head by a splinter when Meitei terrorists fired using a sniper rifle" .

He said that the Assam Rifles Coy Commander informed about the incident to Imphal West SP and an ambulance was sent with three Commando vehicles.

"I thought my child would be evacuated to an Army Hospital at Leimakhong.

Had he been evacuated to Leimakhong Army Hospital, he would have been alive," said the heartbroken father.

When he came to know that his child would be evacuated to Imphal and the Assam Rifles were not going with them, he felt very uncomfortable.

"However, to some extent, I was hoping that nothing would happen as my wife is from the Meitei community and the other woman who accompanied them was also from the same community" .

He then said that after they moved out from the relief camp, a Meitei AR Jawan came inside the relief camp and inquired about the numbers of Kukis and Meiteis at the camp.

A few hours later, he left the relief camp and stayed in some other place.

He said two of his children, a son and a daughter were sheltering at Keithelmanbi while he stayed at the Assam Rifles relief camp with his youngest son Tonsing and wife Meena.

"I was not aware of what happened to my son and my wife till the next day when someone from Imphal informed me about the tragic incident that they have met," Joshua said.

"Papa, Papa was the last two words I heard my innocent son calling me and now, I have to live with a heavy heart with these two words," said Joshua.

Joshua said he has been informed that the remains of his wife, son and Lydia were at the morgue in Imphal.

"Where were the police commandos who came in three vehicles to evacuate my injured son, my wife Meena and Lydia when the mobs stopped them? Why don't they save them?" asked Joshua seeking justice from the Central Govt.Joshua Hangshing, who is now staying with his daughter, a Class-VIII student and his eldest son, a Class-X student at Keithelmanbi village, said "humanity has been burnt to ashes along with his son, his wife and his relative in Manipur" .

Joshua said he had been avoiding people for a few days owing to his health and emotional condition.

He also said that a FIR will be filed in connection with the killing of his son, his wife, and Lydia.

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