Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, April 13 2010:
As they have done every year, tens of hundreds of people paid homage to the martyrs of the underground RPF/PLA on the occasion of the group's Athouba Singgi Numit (Martyrs Day) .
Amidst the heavy presence of security forces and security forces homage were paid by the people in droves turned up at the memorials located at Cheiraoching, Kodompokpi and Kameng, Imphal from Tuesday morning.
At Cheiraoching, initially, the police allowed only the family members and relatives of eight PLA cadres slain in the Kodompokpi gunbattle of April 1982.Police conducted strict checking to the people turning up to reach the memorial site at the top of the Cheiraoching in Imphal and paid tributes.
Police allowed the people to pay homage following an order of the Gauhati High Court allowing paying of tribute by members of the families, relatives and well-wishers of only eight cadres of the outfit.
Police noted down the names and particulars of the mourners.
They eased up allowing entering the mourners pay homage at the memorial site at about 4 pm.
They also prohibited carrying of photographs, festoon etc and as well as paying of tribute in the names of meira paibi groups, or other organisations.
Medical teams from the state medical directorate and Shija hospital were on hand at Cheiraoching to render aid to the mourners.
At the memorials at Kodompokpi and Kameng, mourners and well-wishers were largely unimpeded in paying homage.
Meanwhile, in the evening, candles were lit at the thresholds of many homes for the peace of the the departed martyrs of the RPF/PLA.
It may be mentioned, nine cadres of the group were killed in an encounter with Army troops at Kodompokpi on April 13, 1982, identified as Thoudam Kunjabihari, of Kakwa Nameirakpam Leikai, Thoudam Loken alias Amujao of Kakwa Nameirakpam Leikai, Paka of Heirok, Pakhanglakpa alias Puki of Keisampat, rk khoiromba alias Gyane of Moreh, Sorokhaibam Kameshwor alias Kanta of Heibongpokpi, Khundrakpam Chaobhan of Kwakeithel Moirangpurel, Naorem Rajen of Kakwa Naorem Leikai and Moirangthem Premkumar of Tera Sapam Leikai.
The day has been observed as Martyrs' Day by the RPF/PLA.