Pregnant Tondon watched her home go up inflames
Source: Chronicle News Service / Niranjan Oinam

Imphal, October 05 2023: "On that tragic evening of May 3, I could only watch helplessly as my home went up in flames, surrounded by the marauding Kuki mobs chanting anti-Meetei slogans while they vandalised and burned Meetei houses," recounted Ningthoukhongjam Tondon, a resident of Moreh Ward No 4, situated near the Indo-Myanmar Gate.

Tondon, a 3S-year-old Meetei resident of Mdreh town, is a small-time trader who operated a shop and warehouse from her home.

She is currently in her last trimester of pregnancy.

Her husband, Ningthoukhongjam Suraj, is an auto-rickshaw driver, and they have three children.

Their eldest son Tarun, a student in class 9, was staying in the boarding of Peace and Freedom Academy, Thoubal when the violence erupted on May 3 .

The couple was at home with their two daughters on that fateful day.

According to Tondon, it was around 4:30 pm on May 3 when reports of violence by Kuki mobs spread in the border town.

Some Meetei families had started fleeing but due to past incidents of Kuki mobs attacking Meetei residents, many people thought the situation might be similar to the previous ones and might not escalate.

In the past, many Meetei people sought refuge in Namphalong until the situation calmed down.

"But on May 3, the Kuki mob began vandalising and burning Meetei houses from around 6:30 pm.

At about 7 pm, I took my two daughters to a safer place in Namphalong and returned home.

The mob reached our home at around 8 pm, vandalized and set the house and our auto-rickshaw on fire while shouting anti-Meetei slogans.

My husband and I hid, hoping to salvage the situation after the Kuki mob left, but we could only watch helplessly as the house burst into flames,'" Tondon said.

Later, the couple went to Namphalong and stayed in a Nepali friend's house for three days before being relocated to Fungdizao, a Buddhist Monastery through an arrangement made by the governments of the two countries.

There were approximately 400 of them taking shelter in the monastery, and all stayed there for over three months.

On August 18, security forces brought 212 of them to Manipur in the first phase of the rescue, and her family was among them.

Since then, the family has been staying in a relief camp set up at Manipur Dance College, Palace Compound, Imphal.

Tondon stated that May 3 will forever remain as an unforgettable day in her life as the marauding Kuki mob looted their properties, vandalized and burned their houses and belongings, all the while shouting anti-Meetei slogans.

All of their savings were gone in a matter of minutes.

The day marked the last day of Lai Haraoba of Kondong Lairembi.

There could have been many deaths among the Meetei community if they had gone to watch the Mukna bouts usually organised as part of the Lai Haraoba festival.

At that time, she was two months pregnant, she said.

Currently, Tondon is staying in the relief camp along with her youngest daughter, who got admitted to class 5 at Thamchet High School, Nongmeibung.

Her elder daughter is studying in class 9 at Bal Vidya Mandir, Palace Compound, and she is staying in the school's boarding.

School authorities have waived the tuition and boarding fees for both her daughters, while for her son, the school authority has exempted the tuition fee but requested to pay part of the boarding fee later when they are able to.

Her husband Suraj is staying at his elder brother's house, actively searching for employment.

So far, he has not been able to find any job.

Although she has managed to earn a meagre income in the relief camp by making incense sticks, candles, and dish wash, she is worried about how they will rebuild their lives and bring up their children with everything they had lost now.

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