Mortal remains of Jiri victims laid to rest

JNN/HT
JIRIBAM, Nov 22 : The mortal remains of the nine Meitei civilians who were killed between November 11 and 17 during the recent violence in a series of gruesome incidents in Jiribam have been laid to rest at Ningshing Khun today.
The bodies were taken from Silchar Medical College where the autopsies were conducted after the Government reached an agreement with the JACs.
People of Jiribam bade farewell to Laishram Barel (63), Maibam Kesho (71), Yurembam Rani (61); Laishram Heitombi (25), her two sons L Chingkheinganba (2) and L Lanngamba (eight months); Telem Thoibi (30) and her daughter Thajanganbi (8) and Athouba Khundrakpam amid a tearful funeral.
While eight of them were murdered by armed Kuki-Hmar terrorists, Athouba Khundrakpam (22), a student, was killed in police firing at PWD Guest House in Jiribam on the night of November 17. The police team was led by Senior SP (Combat) Nectar Sanjenbam.
The bodies were brought to the burial site by bereaved families and the members of Jiri United Committee (JUC), Joint Action Committee (JAC) against the brutal killing of Khundrakpam Athouba Singh and the serious injury of Keisam Bison Singh and the Joint Action Committee (JAC) against the brutal killing of eight innocent people.
Speaking to the media on the sideline, Khundrakpam Tomba, father of Athouba, said that Nectar firing upon a group of people who were protesting against the murder of Meitei civilians including an infant was inhuman.
Asking whether Nectar would resort to firing if his family members were among the protesters, the grieving father said that he may have killed Nectar at the site if he was armed.
JUC chairman Mutum Maipaksana Mangang, on the other hand, said that they agreed to claim and bury the remains of the nine Meitei civilians after holding  a talk with the Government including Jiribam DC.
He said that they had also urged the Government to  arrest all the Kuki Hmar terrorists involved in the killing of eight Meitei civilians as well as the police personnel involved in the firing incident at PWD Guest House in Jiribam.
Maibam Laijingamba, son of victim Maibang Kesho Meitei, said, “We wanted the Kuki attackers to be declared terrorists and also some strict action by the Government against them. Now, since the NIA is investigating, we are convinced.”
According to him, his father was shot and burnt alive by the terrorists on November 11. “They burnt our house as well. Now the entire family is living in a shelter camp in Jiribam, which is nearly 27 kilometres from our village. We appeal to the Prime Minister to intervene, so that we can go home,” he added.
After accepting the bodies, the family members performed some rituals at SMCH before the convoy headed to Cachar’s Lakhipur in Assam. People from the Meitei community gathered in various places to pay floral tributes to the deceased members of their community.
Family members of another deceased person said that they want the attackers to be considered as terrorists.
“They said they were a village defence party but later it turned out that they were residents of Churachandpur. What were they doing in Jiribam with weapons that day ? The fact is they were militants, and we believe the NIA will find the truth,” one of them said.
Along with these nine bodies, another 12 bodies were brought to SMCH between November 12 and 18, as per official records. Bodies of 10 Kuki militants killed in an encounter with Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on November 11 were brought to the hospital on November 12 and on November 16, and those were airlifted to Churachandpur.
Jiri Development Organisation (JDO) president Elangbam Dewan Singh said that the Central Government should not remain a mere spectator to the unfolding situation in Jiribam amid the hostility of the Kuki Hmar terrorists.
Meiteis living at Cachar also visited the Silchar Medical College and paid their obeisance to the slain  nine individuals.
The bodies reached Jiribam Thongkhong at around 2.30 pm and the funeral was held at Ningshing Khun amid a wail of cries.
Security measures were taken up to prevent any untoward incident during the funeral.