Symbolic cremation of missing youth Hemanjit performed

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jul 24 : The family of Phijam Hemanjit, who went missing on July 6, still seeks justice as  they cremated him today amid hue and cry against the failure of the State Government to retrieve the body.
What makes the funeral more emotional was the participation of other families whose near and dear ones also have gone missing amid the unrest in Manipur.
The last rites of Phijam Hemanjit were held at his birth place at Takyel Kolom Leikai by replacing his body with a "Pangong" tree plank.
This is not the first time that a funeral of those who went missing in the course of unrest in Manipur was performed without a body .
The last rites of Atom Samarendra Singh and Yumkhaibam Kirankumar Singh, both of Khumbong Bazar were also held  with “Pangong”  as per customary practice in December last year.
Heart rending it was as a couple of families who also lost their loved ones gathered  at Takyel to take part in the funeral of Hemanjit.
It wasn't Hemanjit alone who went missing on July 6, as along with him was his friend Linthoingambi Hijam of Tera Tongbram Leikai.
They (Hemanjit and Linthoingambi) were assumed dead after photos of them in captivity and lying on ground surfaced on social media in Sept last year.
Speaking to the media, Phijam Ibungobi, father of Hemanjit, expressed disappointment with the Govern- ment failing to retrieve even a piece of bone of his son and Linthoingambi.
He said that they have gone from pillar to post and met the Governor, the Chief Minister and the Security Advisor to at least find the bodies of the two missing teenagers 'but their pleas remain futile.'
Ibungobi, holding his tears back, said he would continue to seek justice for his son even if he has been cremated by replacing his body with a tree plank.
Wife of Atom Samarendra who went missing on May 6 last year after he was abducted by Kuki militants from Sangaithel and the mother of Ningthou-jam Anthony of Akham Awang Leikai who never returned home after going to Sekmai Santipur side also attended the funeral.
Kavita, wife of Samarendra, said the funeral of her husband was also performed on December 15 last year  by replacing his body with a tree plank.
She sought support from the people in delivering justice to the families of the missing people who are presumably dead.
Anthony's mother N Premlata, on the other hand,  said her son went missing along with his friend Maibam Abinash.
Saying that there is no progress in the missing case after two Kuki persons were arrested on November 2 last year, she urged the Government to hand her at least a piece of bone of her son.
She said that she won't be able to  cremate her son without the body.