60 bodies airlifted to CCpur, Kpi; four brought to Imphal
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, December 14 2023:
In all, 60 lifeless bodies, of which 57 are conflict victims and three non-related ones, which were being kept at RIMS and JNIMS morgues, were airlifted using helicopter from IGAR South on Thursday while bodies of four conflict victims were brought from Ghurachandpur district hospital to Imphal.
After minutely discussing the report of the committee led by retired judge Gita Mittal, which was constituted by the Supreme Court, a three-member bench of the apex court comprising chief justice DY Chandrachud, and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Mishra on November 28 instructed the state government for handing over the bodies to their respective families for performing the last rites.
It also directed that the last rites should be performed within December 4 and DNA samples preserved if it was not taken during post mortem examination.
During the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, security forces picked up 27 bodies from JNIMS and 33 from RIMS morgues including three non-conflict related bodies.
After taking out the bodies from the morgues, they were kept at IGAR South, Mantripukhri and later airlifted using helicopters to Churachandpur and Kangpokpi around 9 am on Thursday.
In all, 41 bodies were taken to Churachandpur and 19 to Kangpokpi.
Similarly, bodies of four victims of the conflict were also brought here from Churachandpur.
Police station concerned delivered the bodies to their respective families from IGAR South.
However, the body of Pechimayum Ibochouba of Sabungkhok Makha Leikai has been kept at JNIMS morgue as his family members refused to claim it.
The four bodies brought from Churachandpur district hospital morgue were that of Soibam Othello (46), son of Soibam Ghambir of Sagolband Heinoupok Maning Leirak; Pechimayum Ibochouba (42) of Sabungkhok Makha Leikai; Kshetrimayum Sunilkumar (22), son of Bisheswar of Kumbi Setupur Ward no 2; and Abujam Ibemhal (71), wife of S Sajou of Khuga Tampak Meitei Leikai.
A team of Lamphel police station brought the body of Othel lo to his residence at Sagolband Heinoupok Maning Leirak and handed it over to his family.
Floral tributes were paid to the lifeless body and his last rites conducted later in the evening.
A family member of Othello recounted that he went to Churachandpur on April 13 for road construction work.
They had communication with him till May 5 after the conflict but failed to establish contact after that.
Othello was the sole bread earner of his family.
He left behind his wife and an 11-month old baby boy.
Bishnupur police brought the body of Abujam Ibemhal, who was a victim of the ethnic conflict, from IGAR South to the relief camp set up by Central Committee of Bishnupur Apunba Tengbang Lup, where the displaced family of Ibemhal is taking shelter.
After paying floral tributes to the lifeless body at the relief camp, her funeral service was conducted.
Lup secretary M Bilky informed that the district administration and the cent ral committee bore all the expenses for performing the rituals.
The secretary further appealed to the government for ending the conflict and restore normalcy so that the displaced people could resettle in their own homes.
The body of Sunilkumar was brought by Bishnupur district police and handed it over to Kumbi district police with the latter delivering the mortal remains to his family at Kumbi.
Similar tributes were also paid to the body of Sunilkumar before performing his last rites.
Sunil was an excavator operator engaged in road construction works in Churachandpur.
However, when Lamlai police brought the body of Pechimayum Ibochouba, his family refused to take it.
As such, the body has been kept at JNIMS morgue.
A family member of Ibochouba said that Othello, Sunilkumar and him went together to Churachandpur for work.
They contacted with them till May 5 through phone but failed to communicate after that.
The funeral ritual of Ibochouba was already performed on September 8 by replacing his body with a 'Pangong' at Sabungkhok Makha Leikai.
Ibochouba was a road construction worker and left behind his wife and two infant daughters.
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