We want justice, not ex gratia, says grandmother of children killed in Manipur

Imphal: Oinam Binita, the mother of the two children killed in the bomb attack carried out at Tronglaobi Awang Leikai in Bishnupur district, learned about their deaths only on Thursday morning.

At 1.10am on Tuesday, the five-year-old boy and his five-month-old sister were killed when a bomb ripped through their bedroom, injuring their mother who is now battling for life in an Imphal hospital.

She learned about the news after seeing the report in a newspaper. Her family had concealed the news from her till Thursday morning. Overwhelmed with grief, she repeatedly asked for her children and insisted on going to them.

The children’s grandmother, Hijam Ningol Oinam Ongbi Loidang, has demanded justice, urging authorities to identify and arrest those responsible within five days.

Grief and anger marked Loidang’s voice as she spoke to the media on Thursday at the hospital complex. She demanded justice for the killing of her grandson and granddaughter in the recent Tronglaobi incident. “What was the fault of my grandchildren? They were too young to even understand the world,” she said.

She further questioned the govt’s claims of normalcy and asked, “How could such a brutal act happen, killing children. When will this violence end? Who will be the next victim?”

“No amount of ex gratia could replace our grandchildren. We want this violence to end, and the govt must take this matter seriously,” the grandmother said.

She also highlighted the deteriorating condition of the children’s mother, who is reportedly in deep trauma.

“She (the mother) keeps asking us to bring her children back. She is even angry with us for not telling her about the death of the children. We don’t know how to respond,” Loidang said, breaking down in tears.

Meanwhile, police on Thursday thwarted an attempt of self-immolation by a man outside the Lok Bhavan in Imphal.

The individual, identified as Sinam Apollo (32) from Imphal West district, reportedly took the step around 1pm, distressed over the killing of the two siblings in the bomb attack.

According to reports, Apollo doused himself with kerosene in an apparent bid to set himself ablaze. Security personnel at the scene acted promptly and restrained him before he could carry out the act. He was later taken into police custody for further questioning.

Dozens of people of the All Manipur United Clubs’ Organisation (AMUCO) and four other organisations took out a public rally starting from the AMUCO office at Kwakeithel in Imphal and marching towards the CM bungalow, demanding the removal of central forces and the deployment of state forces instead.

It also addressed the Tronglaobi incident, in which three innocent civilians were killed, calling for an FIR to be filed against the concerned CRPF personnel and for a judicial inquiry to be conducted.

The memorandum further demanded that the culprits responsible for the killing of two children and the injury of their mother be identified and punished without delay according to the law of the land.

State forces and RAF personnel blocked the procession at Hodam Leirak area in Imphal West. Subsequently, a representation of the protesters were allowed to meet chief minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh and submit the memorandum.