Leplen: The pain and trauma still lingers

Imphal, June 06: The memories of pain and trauma still refuse to go away as 42 victims of AR atrocities are still undergoing treatment at JN hospital. These 42 are part of the villagers who had to bear the brunt of the security personnel ire after the Assam Rifles personnel went berserk following the Leplen ambush which killed 11 AR men. One particular case which will make the stomach churn of even the most hardened men is the sight of a young woman who has just given birth to a child. This young woman was brutalized by the rampaging security personnel just two days after she delivered a child! At the moment she is lying in the hospital ward barely able to move the lower parts of her body. According to the version of the woman the Assam Rifles men descended on their village following the Leplan ambush and started thrashing the men folk including her husband. When she rushed out to the rescue of her husband the angry jawans turned their wraths upon her. With fear still visible in her eyes, the 30 year old young mother, Nemchin Haokip said the Assam Rifles men dragged by the hair and after forcing her to lie down stomped on her back and lower parts of the body. The child who is barely ten days old is with the mother at the hospital. Altogether 84 persons from five villages had to be hospitalized following the rein of terror let loose by the Assam Rifles men. Of these 42 are still at the hospital undergoing treatment. Six of them are in critical condition. Among the critically injured is 41 year old Seingam Guite of Leplan who was dragged by the Assam Rifles with a Gypsy for a full 117 kilometre. Adding salt to the wound to hurt psyche and physical wounds of the people is the seeming indifference of the Government. Till date no assistance has been forthcoming from the side of the Government. The villagers flatly turned down financial assistance offered by the Assam Rifles. It is left to a relief committee headed by one gentleman by the name of Ngaizalen to provide the necessary medicine and food for the patients. Their source comes from different organizations and the Church fund. DPP MLA from Heingang AC N Biren personally visited the victims at the hospital this evening. He contributed a sum of one thousand from his pocket to meet the needs of the villagers. "That an MLA who do not represent us should come forward and comfort us and provide financial assistance while our representative C Doungel has so far not done anything has left us speechless," said a victim's relative at the hospital. MLA N Biren assured the villagers that he would do his level best to exert pressure on the Government to provide the needed assistance to the unfortunate villagers. He also assured that he would impress upon the Chief Minister to provide the .needed help by tomorrow itself.