Man regrets decision to bring son home from boarding
Source: Chronicle News Service / Niranjan Oinam

Imphal, September 03 2023: Nobody would have thought how a momentary contentment for their safety amid the loss of property and fleeing violence would take into a shocking turn of losing a dear one.

This is the story of Atom Tejmani, a resident of Ikou village in Imphal East district, whose house was destroyed by a Kuki mob armed with sophisticated weapons, and the subsequent loss of his beloved son Atom Nganba.

Tejmani's son was in school boarding when the violence broke out.

He was heartbroken when he heard about his home getting torched by Kuki militants after the violence broke out on May 3 .

After moving in the prefabricated house built by the state government, his aunt told him that they have moved into a new house at Khabeisoi.

He was overjoyed when his father came to the boarding to take him to the temporary house for a couple of days.

He was so happy that he suffered heart attack and died before reaching the temporary house.

Now his father Tejmani and his whole family are left heartbroken, thinking that only if he had not gone to bring him home, his son would be alive.

Tejmani used to provide for has family by driving bus and later a Tata Winger.

As he could not see a bright future ahead by working as a hired driver, he borrowed Rs 1.2 lakh from a friend and bought a diesel auto-rickshaw, with which he made a livelihood before the violence broke out.

After paying off the debt, he managed to have some savings, which was again spent on his treatment in Guwahati.

His house was burnt by Kuki militants along with those of his neighbours on May 3 and he had to take refuge at the maternal home of his wife at Kangla Sangomshang after he reached Imphal on the same day around 7.30 pm from Guwahati.

After a few days, they moved to a relief camp set up at Naorem Birahari College, Khundrakpam before shifting to the prefabricated house built by the government at Khabeisoi near Sajiwa Central Jail recently.

After getting house at the temporary colony, he went to pick up his son from the school boarding only to see him succumbing from a heart attack.

His son Nganba was studying in class VII at Success School, Chingarel Tejpur and was staying in the boarding before the violence broke out.

Tejmani has a younger daughter, who survived the violence.

Nganba was an emotional person and he cried on hearing the information about their house from his aunt over the phone.

Tejmani's wife and daughter were already at Kangla Sangomshang when he arrived in Imphal.

After finding his name among the displaced families, who would be provided rooms in the temporary shelter house, Tejmani admitted his daughter at Success School and kept her too in the school boarding.

Before the shocking incident, Tejmani often talked with his son and daughter over the phone.

He had even picked him up from the boarding and stayed together for a couple of days at the Naorem Birahari College relief camp.

On the fateful day, Tejmani found his overjoyed son and daughter waiting for him at the school gate.

After catching up with his children for a couple of minutes, he asked his son to say goodbye to his boarding warden.

The son went in to meet the warden but he fainted within a matter of one minute after he entered the school boarding.

He was rushed to Sawombung Primary Health Centre from where he was referred to Raj Medicity.

Unfortunately, doctors at Raj Medicity could not save Nganba's life, Tejmani recalled with a heavy heart.

Recounting the past of his son, Tejmani further said that about three years ago, his son had a similar incident upon returning from the local playground after playing with his friends.

Back then, doctors told him that there is no problem with his heart and the fainting could be a result of over-exhaustion.

This time, doctors confirmed it as heart attack and his over excitement on getting a new house could be the trigger for the cardiac failure.

Today, Tejmani and his family is living a broken life bearing the burden of the loss of not only their home and savings but also their beloved son, whom they had high hope for.

Now, Tejmani is living with regret on his decision to stay with his children for a couple of days in the new temporary house provided to them by the government, a house that his loving son had never the chance to see.

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