Papa promised me Recurve Bow: Seileshwor's daughter
Source: Chronicle News Service / Mission Oinam

Imphal, January 22 2024: As the crisis in the state is inching towards completion of nine months, many lives have been lost leaving many parents in deep pain, wives widowed and children orphaned.

One such orphaned child is 13-year-old Takhellambam Changkhonbi of Akham Mamang Leikai, who had recently lost her father Takhellambam Saileshwar, a CDO Havildar killed in sniper attack by Kuki militants in Moreh.

"Papa promised me to buy a Recurve Bow," is the words of the innocent child as she joined others in mourning the death of her father.

Changkhonbi is now spending her days in tears with her mother Anjali (34) and her younger brother Silheiba alias Yaipharel (8) .

I, along with a colleague, went to her home on the day of her father's funeral and saw the three, full of tears in the eyes, sitting in a corner of the porch of a mud house, located in a scarcely populated area of the village.

As we tried to talk with the three surviving members of the family, Changkhonbi said with teary eyes, "Papa promised to buy me a Recurve Bow" .

With that words, she stopped talking and refused to respond to any further attempt to have a conversation.

Her mother Anjali, who was holding a photo of her husband Saileshwar close to her heart, said, "He always had a tendency to lead any operation.

After he was deployed in Moreh, my two children often asked me when their father will return and I had no answer for them except for calling him on the phone and asking to return home soon.

In the past, he always returned home with news of his success in operations but this time, it is his lifeless body that returned home.

I do not want such homecoming, neither his children," she sobbed inconsolably.

Anjali managed to continue that her husband was an ardent lover of sports and used to take our daughter for Archery coaching at Iroishemba, a sport she is fond of the most.

She had won bronze medal in a national event and after the event, Saileshwar promised her daughter to buy a Recurve Bow while celebrating her success.

He loved his daughter and always tried to fulfil her every wish, she recounted.

"After he got the order for deployment in Moreh, I asked him to be cautious.

He told me that his duty is for the state and the people.

He also confided that he may get a short leave in February.

During his deployment in Moreh, we never had a good meal just thinking of the challenges he would be facing in the border town, surrounded by the militants.

I even denied our children new clothes," a tearful Anjali said, while sharing the pains of her shattered dreams.

"With two small children, 1 was always worried about his safety.

He would often asked me to be brave, bold and not to overthink about his safety.

Today, he is gone, and I will abide by what he asked me to do.

I will stay strong, work hard to make my children successful people in their lives," she continued.

Sharing the pain of families like hers, who have lost their near and dear ones, Anjali had one request for the government, which is to take up necessary measures and resolve the crisis at the earliest.

Saileshwar's elder brother Padmeshwar said, "He was the youngest of seven siblings.

Since his childhood, he had keen interest in sports.

He also participated in any activities of the village.

He used to play in some football clubs as goalkeeper before joining IRB in 2005.He was promoted to Havildar last year".

He further said that one of Saileshwar's batchmates Wanglemba from Heingang died in an ambush in Khoupum area while on election duty.

After that he joined commando and was attached to Bishnupur Commando unit.

That may be in around 2006 or 2007, and he did not tell any of the family members about his decision.

After his marriage and after having children, Saileshwar joined the Manipur Police Sports Club, where he played as goalkeeper, Padmeshwar said.

In the initial days of the crisis, Saileshwar joined with local village volunteers in defending the western foothill areas.

As the crisis continued, he, without telling his family, filed an application seeking attachment to special commando unit, which was readily accepted, and he was posted in Moreh.

He informed his decision to his family only after reaching Moreh.

It was later learnt that the only person he informed about his decision was one of his nephews, the elder brother said and added that Saileshwar was a true patriot, who took the risk and sacrificed his life for the state and its people.

"Today, he sacrificed his life in the battlefield and we are proud of his decision and courage.

Just a couple of minutes before he was hit by the sniper bullet, he called the nephew and told him that they have been surrounded by the enemies and he would call him later.

That was the last communication any of us had with him," Padmeshwar continued.

These words encapsulate the bittersweet pride and profound loss experienced by families like that of Saileshwar's, highlighting the sacrifices made in the name of duty and for protecting the integrity of Manipur.

Apart from Saileshwar's sacrifice, there are other countless martyrs who laid down their lives for the safety of the state and its people.

Unles's, immediate effective measures are taken up to bring the crisis to an end, many more such stories of pain and shattered dreams will come forth.

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