Tragedy writ large on widows of June 13 carnage
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 30 2023: Tragedy is the one word that strikes when one looks at Deepawali and Sushini who have been widowed by the infamous Church incident of Khamenlok area where nine persons were killed by well armed Kuki militants on the fateful night of 13th June.

Stories of human tragedy have surfaced since the so-called peace rally of ATSUM taken out on the evening of May 3 triggered a series of senseless and one of the deadliest violences in the history of Manipur and among these stories is 13th June when nine persons were shot dead and mutilated inside the very premise of a Church presumably to settle scores.

Among the nine killed are Laishram Narendra (32) s/o L Ningthou and RK Prasanta (32), s/o RK Shantamani.

Tragedy writ large on widows of June 13 carnage

Laishram ongbi Deepawali is wife of L Narendra and they have one daughter (10 yrs) and a son (7 yrs) while RK ongbi Sushini is wife of RK Prasanta who left behind a daughter of three years and a son of 1.5 year.

On the request of this reporter, the two widows also brought out the photos of their deceased husbands covered in white clothes.

However, after opening the photos, the 1.5 year old son of Prasanta uttered something and took away the portrait of his father and didn't let anyone take it away from him.

While taking a group photo too, the kid held the portrait of Prasanta as if someone would take his father away from him and this small gesture is a reminder that this senseless violence fuelled by blind hatred has done irreparable damage to so many lives.

Seeing the gesture of the kid, the family members of Prasanta and Narendra wept inconsolably.

Prasanta was brother-in-law of Narendra.

It is said that Prasanta and Narendra grew up together at the residence of the latter's mother at Kongpal Ningthoubung Leikai and they had spent most of their time together like siblings.

Both Prasanta and Narendra were small businessmen.

Speaking to The Sangai Express, Deepawali and Sushini shared how their husbands met their end on the night of June 13 .

According to the two widows, the well armed militants first carried out a bomb attack near the Church at Khamenlok area where 26 people including their husbands were staying.

Soon after the bomb exploded, most of them ran off but Narendra, Prasanta and seven others remained inside the Church, the two widows said.

Those inside the Church including their husbands were then killed mercilessly after incessant firing and mutilated by the militants, Deepawali and Sushini continued and maintained that they don't know how to look after their children.

Shradhas of Prasanta and Narendra were held on June 28 .

The two widows further said that Khurai AC MLA L Susindro and leaders of different CSOs and meira paibi lups including COCOMI, AMUCO, came to them and extended assistance.

Deepawali, whose only source of income is weaving, expressed doubt on how to look after her two children without her husband.

Deepawali is a matriculate.

Sushini, on the other hand, has completed her graduation but she also weaves clothes to make a living.

Like Deepawali, Sushini is also doubtful of the future of her children without her husband by the side.

The other seven persons killed in the Church attack were Yumnam Surjit Kumar (43) son of Kulla Meitei; Laishram Suresh (33) son of L Samungou; Haobijam Somenkumar (33) son of H Chaoba Singh; Moirangthem Heman (34) son of M Nilla; Konjengbam Shankar (25) son of K Shamungou; Telem Thoithoi (28) son of T Surjit Meitei and Laishram Abung (37) .

It may be mentioned that many were also injured in the Church attack on June 13 .