Families of the three victims of Kwakta Lamkhai incident on Sunday announced that they will not claim the three bodies unless they come to an understanding with the authorities concerned.
“We will decide on the future course of actions after discussing with concerned CSOs and groups; we will not claim the body till an understanding is reached with the authorities concerned,” the victoms' families said.
The remains of the three Meitei villagers, including a father and a son, who were reportedly shot dead in cold blood by Kuki militants on Saturday, were kept at RIMS morgue after post-mortem till the time of filing this report.
The deceased persons are Yumnam Pishak, 70, and Yumnam Premkumar, 38; the father and the son were killed together in the unfortunate incident. The third victim is Yumnam Jiten, 52, son of late Y Ibohal. They all hail from Kwakta Lamkhai Ward No VIII, Bishnupur district. Yumnam Premkumar, a VDF personnel, was posted at Sunusiphai VDF post.
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Sources said that the father and the son were forced out of their bed to their courtyard and shot dead. Premkumar had several knife injuries on his body. Jiten was allegedly shot in the head beside his bed where Lainingthou Sanamahi (a sacred deity worshipped in every Meitei household) was kept.
The sources also said that the three deceased were reported to be guarding their respective homes while all their family members had been shifted to relief camps and safer places since the onset of the crisis that had unfolded on May 3, 2023, in Manipur.
Speaking to the media at the RIMS morgue on Sunday, the son of late Yumnam Pishak Y Sanjoy, decried the inhumane brutal murder of his brother and father by suspected Kuki militants.
“My old father and brother were innocent and had been away from the violence since it first erupted; we strongly condemn such brutal killing of innocent civilians and demand authorities to take requisite lawful actions against the culprits involved,” he said.
He pointed out the family would not claim the bodies of Yumnam Pishak, 70 and Yumnam Premkumar, 38 till an understanding was reached between the government and the family.
“We will also take the advice of CSOs and groups and decide on the further course of actions,” he said.
He stated that the murder of the three individuals had reawakened fear of such impending attacks among periphery villagers and added that survival of periphery villagers would not be possible if authorities do not intervene to provide proper security in such sensitive areas.
“We want to return and stay at our homes but it will not be possible till authorities reined in the crisis and restored peace and normalcy in the state,” he said.
Meanwhile, the brother of Yumnam Jiten Y Yaima demanded authorities concerned to set up proper security details in the periphery of the Kwakta-Churachandpur area.
“The Kukis are encroaching upon lands inhabited by other communities and are reaching for Kwakta; we feel disappointed with the central security forces and authorities for turning a blind eye to this encroachment,” he said.
He also demanded authorities to investigate the murder and punish the culprits involved. My brother has left behind two young kids; we want authorities to make arrangements for the kids and the family so that they sustain themselves in the future, he added.
He recalled that he was in Kolkata when the news about the murder reached him. I didn't even get the chance to see my brother’s body, he added.
“All communities across the country should condemn such brutal inhumane acts; we do not wish such acts upon anyone,” he said.
