IMPHAL, June 3: Sorokhaibam Sobita Devi who lost her right leg in the CRPF firing to control the mob during the June 18, 2001 people’s movement to save the territorial integrity of Manipur today is struggling to come to terms with her life.
Speaking to IFP, S Sobita Devi said Dr Ashangbam Vivekananda of Uripok had sponsored the cost for an artificial limb for her. I left Imphal on August 27, 2012 for Kolkata for the treatment and received treatment at Pushpanjalli Medi-India Pvt. Ltd, Ganeshchandra Avenue, Kolkata and returned to Imphal on September 15, 2012.
Dr A Vivekananda paid for the artificial leg, flight tickets and other expenditures during the treatment at Kolkata and also gave Rs 2000 in cash, she said and added that she is very grateful to him for his help.
She was 38 years old when she lost her leg during the CRPF’s firing and now she is 50 year old, she lamented.
With the help of her artificial leg, Sobita can walk easily but does not have the strength to do any hard work to make an earning for her living.
Her husband who is a head constable in the Manipur police department, after meeting with an accident in November 2012 and also a diabetes patient now, cannot even see things clearly, she said.
Following a BP stroke, Sobita`s husband became handicapped following which, he has stopped receiving his salaries, she said.
She said from her husband side, she received Rs 1000 in December 2012, and on receiving his 13th month pay she was given another Rs 500 and she was also given 50 kg of superfine rice along with Rs 200 after Yaoshang festival 2013.
She said her husband is also struggling for his livelihood because of his sickness and couldn’t help her much.
Before leaving for Kolkata for treatment, the United Committee Manipur (UCM) gave her Rs 3000, All Manipur United Clubs Organization (AMUCO) gave her Rs 2000, New Checkon Youth Club gave her Rs 1000, she said while adding that she had spent all the money given to her for her living expenses.
And above all these, Konthoujam (o) Subita Devi of Uripok Tourangbam Leikai has also provided her with monetary help twice, she said.
AMUCO awarded her with Rs 5000 on June 18 of every year. She received Rs 10,000 on UCM’s foundation day last year, she continued. However, Sobita has not received any kind of help from the state government in connection with the June 18 incident, but she received Rs 1000 in 2008 and Rs 3000 in 2012 for handicapped persons from the Social Welfare Department, she claimed.
She also complained of some other sickness and pain which have started recently and said that as she depends on people’s help for living she cannot go for the treatment.
She expressed extreme happiness to learn that UCM and AMUCO are jointly organizing the “June 18” function starting from this year.