Parentless now, kids' story tugs the heart
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 08 2010: Thambalmani, now old, weak and poverty stricken, is over-burdened with the huge responsibility of bringing up her three small grand children.

Thambalmani is the mother of Babita who was hacked to death by her own husband on April 4 .

Biren, said to be deranged, was also beaten to death by the furious local people for killing Babita.

They left behind two sons aged 7 and 4, and a two month old daughter.

With no one to look after them, the huge responsibility of bringing up the kids has fallen on the frail shoulder of Thambalmani but she is at a loss on how to meet the basic requirements of the kids.

The two orphans and grandma with two month old grandchild

"I am a poor daily wage earner and I'm growing old.

How can I bring them up.

I just cannot imagine their future", Thambalmani said with tears in her eyes.

A team of media persons and members of the Women Action for Development visited the maternal home of late Babita as well as her husband's home at Langathel Mamang Leikai today.

"I have neither the strength nor means to bring up my young grand-children.

Even though I love them with all my hearts, I'm in no condition to look after their needs", Thambalmani said.

With her mother no more, there was no one to breast-feed Thambalmani's two month old grand-daughter.

She is being fed milk.

The girl looked pale and ashen.

Although the State Government should ensure right to survival, right to development, right to protection etc to these orphans under the Juvenile Justice, Care and Protection Act, the Government has not assumed any formal responsibility for the unfortunate kids.

"Our MLA said he would look after my two grand-sons.

Some people have also offered to adopt the baby girl.

But how can I hand over custody of my grand-children to unknown persons?", Thambalmani questioned in a feeble voice.

The two boys are studying in Langathel Primary School.

Okram Ingo, the elder son, said innocently, "since the death of our mother and father, we are living with our grand-mother.

We are no longer going to school.

I would like to go to school.

My mother always told me to read hard".

Thambalmani has four sons and two daughters.

The sons earned their livelihoods by sawing timber and at other times by working a rickshaw pullers.

With no paddy fields of their own, they literally live hand to mouth by buying rice on daily basis.

On the other hand, late Biren had two brothers who had died before him.

Their father committed suicide in 2009.Now, the family is survived by late Babita's mother-in-law only.

Biren used to go to hills to saw timber.

He returned home from Tamenglong only a month back.

Meanwhile, a Child Welfare Committee held a meeting today about the three orphan kids of Langathel.

The meeting decided to put the two-month old kid at Nawa Foundation Susu Graha, Kakching Bazar.

The Child Welfare Committee, Thoubal would discuss about the two sons after Shradha ceremony of their parents, said Indira, chairperson of the committee .