Imphal, August 08 2009: All the victims of July 23 Khwairamband Market firing incident who sustained bullet injuries and are undergoing treatment at RIMS are yet to receive any form of assistance from the Government.

Left to their own, the victims are struggling for their dear lives with borrowed money.

Nevertheless, they did receive some assistance from RIMS Helpline.

In addition to Rabina and her unborn child and Sanjit, five other persons including two women sustained bullet injuries in the July 23 firing incident.

Of the five injured victims, three are currently undergoing treatment at RIMS.

The two women currently at RIMS are petty vendors/casual workers surviving on their daily earnings.

The injured victims, while interacting with The Sangai Express today, expressed strong abhorrence and discontentment against the Government.

Highlighting their helpless condition, they asked the Chief Minister of Manipur and the Government, "How should we live in the midst of the flying bullets"? .

With tearful eyes filled with emotion, Wangkheirakpam Gitarani (38) of Tendongyang said, "we have been made targets of flying bullets even though we don't have any fault.

And then the Government has dismissed us to our fate".

Gitarani, a widow, sustained a bullet injury on the right side of chest during the Khwairamband Market firing.

"I was working all odd jobs just to meet the basic requirements of my two children.

I'm afraid whether I would be able to do any physically challenging work even if I recuperate.

I'm worried not for myself but for the future of my two small children", conveyed Gitarani.

On the fateful day, Gitarani went to Khwairamband Market to buy socks for her daughter.

"As I was walking near the public toilet complex (Sulabh), suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my chest.

I wavered on its impact".

"As I was wondering what caused the pain, blood gushed out from my chest.

Immediately, I pressed the cloth I hang on my shoulder to my chest.

But I could not walk", Gitarani recalled.

"Mustering all my strength I ran and lay down at a safe place.

Soon I realised I was hit by a bullet.

In the next moment, life was ebbing out and I thought I was dying.

Then I lost consciousness".

"When I regained consciousness, I found myself in RIMS", Gitarani said.

One surgical operation has been already conducted on Gitarani.

But she has to wait for about a month for another operation to remove the bullet lodged in her chest as she is took weak at present.

"It is blood-curdling to remember those moments.

It was a nightmare.

Even if I recuperate I would never go to Khwairamband Market.

I feel so terrified", Gitarani murmured between her dried lips sleeping on bed no 12 of RIMS Surgery Ward.

On bed no 4 of the same ward is Ningthoujam Kishorani of Naral Konjil, another victim of the indiscriminate firing at Khwairamband Market on July 23 .

A fruit seller at Khwairamband Market, Kishorani is the sole bread winner of her paralysed husband and their three children.

She was hit by a bullet on the left calf.

Recalling those horrendous moments of July 23, Kishorani said, "on hearing the gun shots, all women vendors ran away helter-skelter.

Just as I got up to run for my life, I felt a sensational pain on the left calf similar to the feeling when someone is hit by stone thrown with a tremendous force".

Till date, Kishorani has received Rs 2500 from her colleague fruit-sellers.

But there has been no assistance from the Government.

Although the bullet in her calf has been removed, Kishorani was visibly anxious whether she would not be to able to do physical works in future.

The third victim, Mangal Golmei of Keithelmanbi Maha Kabui village expressed strong disapproval against opening indiscriminate fire at a busy market place causing deaths and injuries to innocent civilians.

He was hit by a bullet on the left hand breaking the upper part while the lower part of the hand suffered multiples fractures.

Mangal Golmei, an employee in Taxation office, now occupies cabin no 1 of RIMS Ortho Ward.

For Mangal Golmei, suffering severe injuries on the left hand is no lesser tragedy for he is left handed.

He said, "with my left hand critically wounded, I would not be able to write nor work with household tools".

Pangambam Lukhoi of Heingang and Kangabam Subashchandra of Kha-Potshangbam, the other two victims have been discharged from RIMS.

Notably, MLA RK Anand has personally given Rs 2000 each to all the injured victims earlier.

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