Video clip of slain son resurfaces
'Last smile' pic of hubby tears up wife
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 23 2024: Kiranbala can't stop her tears.

The video of her husband's "last smile" before being killed by Kuki militants that has surfaced months later has once again opened the wounds in her heart.

Suspected to have been released on social media by the killers, in the video, her husband is seen "smiling" haplessly and saying he has "run out of bullets" .

Haobijam Somenkumar, 26, was gunned down by Kuki militants on June 13, 2023 at Khamenlok during the peak of the violence that started on May 3 .

Haobijam Somenkumar was a graduate.

Before May 3, 2023, Haobijam Somenkumar worked at a bank in Konung Mamang Imphal and had a simple yet cosy life with his wife, Kiranbala and their 6-year-old son at Pangei Waiton Lamkhai.

Video clip of slain son resurfaces

Haobijam Somenkumar was the eldest of three sons of Late Haobijam Chaoba and Haobijam ongbi Ichantombi.

Only Haobijam Surjakumar, the youngest of the three brothers is alive.

On May 3, 2023, violence broke out at Torbung in Bishnupur district when Kuki protesters taking part in a rally organised by All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) turned violent and vandalised Meitei houses and shops.

Meitei houses were burnt and people were attacked on the streets.

The violence soon spread to Imphal and other districts.

Kuki militants armed with sophisticated weapons started firing at Meitei villages near the hills.

Haobijam Somenkumar was among many youths who chose to pick up arms and volunteered to defend Meitei villages from the onslaught of the Kuki militants.

He was among several Meitei youths killed in Khamenlok in June, 2023 .

In the video that has now surfaced, Haobijam Somenkumar is seen taking cover under heavy fire.

He is heard saying he has run out of bullets.

He is seen looking around hapless and smiling.

The video has now been shared many times with netizens sympathising with the "brave soul".

Some netizens have even written poems and some have painted his picture and shared it on the internet.

Months after he was killed, the fresh video of her husband's "last smile" in the face of the "enemy" has once again broken Kiranbala.

In a corner of their house at Waiton, Kiranbala now weeps inconsolable.

She stares at the phone on her hand and watches her husband.

His mother, Ichantombi wails calling for her "dear son" .

"If only he had bullets, he could have defended himself.

The Kuki terrorists wouldn't have been able to harm him if he had bullets," Kiranbala said.

Kiranbala said Somenkumar and his brother Surjakumar used to go together to guard Meitei villages.

Surjakumar said on the fateful day of June 13, 2023, his brother asked him to stay behind at home.

"I heard my brother talking on the walkie talkie that they need manpower and bullets.

Hearing the request, many Meitei villagers rushed to the site.

But, when we reached Nongshum, my walkie talkie's battery died and we lost contact with my brother.

At Khamenlok, we saw Kuki terrorists firing bombs and bullets indiscriminately," said Surjakumar.

Bodies of nine Meitei youths including Haobijam Somenkumar's remains were recovered from Khamenlok the next day.

Somenkumar's mother, Ichantombi praised her son's bravery and said she was waiting for the Meitei sons to win against "evils" who seek to destroy "Ima Leipak Manipur" .

She blamed the Government of India and the State Government for "forcing" the innocent youths to take up arms and defend Manipur themselves.

"If only the Government had acted in time and controlled the Kuki terrorists, my son and many others' lives would have been saved," Ichantombi said.

The Government has failed to protect the lives of the people.

Many youths have been killed and their wives have been made widows, she said.

Ichantombi said the local MLA has not once visited her home.

"The local MLA visited JNIMS when my son's body was at the hospital.

But, the MLA has not once visited our home," Ichantombi said.

The mother said she has been hurt more by a statement the local MLA made to a relative of her.

"I have never told this to anyone, but the local MLA once told a relative and questioned why our sons were sent to war," Ichantombi said.