‘Our worst nightmare’: 13 men found dead in Manipur identified, came from across valley districts

The bodies were taken to the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal East, and on Tuesday, their identities were established. According to officials, the men are aged between 17 and 47, and come from valley districts of Bishnupur, Imphal West, Imphal East and Kakching.

Thingom Rosy, the younger sister of one of the victims, Thingom Rocky Singh (25), said their family had been displaced from Torbung – at the border of Meitei-dominated Bishnupur and Kuki-Zomi-dominated Churachandpur district, one of the first places where violence had erupted – on May 4, and had moved to a relief camp in Thangmeiband in Imphal West district. She said that he left soon after they shifted to the relief camp, and the family has not seen him since.

“He sought blessing from my mother to be victorious and fight for our motherland before leaving. We spoke over the phone several days back; he said that he wanted to meet me and mother,” she said, adding that she was not aware of his whereabouts.

Outside the hospital in Imphal where the 13 bodies were brought for autopsy, Tuesday. (PTI)

The families of some of the other men said they had left home a few days before the incident.

Moirangthem Chaoba, the elder sister of Moirangthem Kingson Singh (39), said that since the start of the violence, he would often be away from their home in Imphal East, saying that he was volunteering to help those in need, which is why she did not suspect anything when he left home two days before the incident.

She said that she came to know about the incident after seeing a report on social media about the death of 13 Meiteis..

“After we came to know that one of the victims was from Khurai area, our family tried calling my brother, but his phone was switched off. We contacted some of his friends to ask about his whereabouts. They said Kingson and some volunteers move around frequently helping people affected by the conflict. I prayed that my brother wasn’t part of the group. Unfortunately, our worst nightmare came true after we visited the morgue. I was speechless and shocked after seeing his body,” she said.

Oinam Ratan, the elder brother of Oinam Loken Singh (43), shared a similar account, saying that he often did odd jobs and participated in “community activities”. “He left home a week ago and as usual we thought he was out doing voluntary work or looking for work,” he said.

Hundreds of people meanwhile gathered at the JNIMS morgue as a mark of protest, while women activists Meira Paibis imposed a shutdown of business establishments in Imphal city. A Joint Action Committee comprising different CSOs, women’s bodies, and victims’ families was formed, which stated that they have decided to bury the dead in Andro village.