LAMKA, September 7: One more person succumbed to burn injuries he suffered on the first day of rioting in Churachandpur, bring up the death toll in the current protest over the three bills passed by the Assembly on August 31 to nine.
The dead body of Nengzachin, 19, of LV Land, New Lamka, was brought to the Churachandpur District Hospital morgue around 3:00pm today amidst dharnas and paying homage functions which delayed the arrival a little. He has since been declared as the 9th hero of the current uprising in the district.
Nengzachin had sustained the injuries during the torching of residences of legislators of the district and also of Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency MP, Thangso Baite on first night or rioting on August 31.
Nengzachin`™s lifeless body was brought from the RIMS Hospital where he was fighting for life with 85 percent burn injury, by KSO GHQ volunteers. He lost his battle for life around 6am and following news of his death, in anticipation of further rioting, destruction of properties and attacks on the Ccpur.police station, civil society bodies and police alike remained on high alert.
Meanwhile, womenfolk have been turning out in huge numbers on the streets in the past three days to prevent further violence. But for them many believe, there probably would have been more casualties.
Various Churachandpur civil society bodies have also been actively coordinating with the security forces and police to facilitate return of normalcy. The district has shown unprecedented participation of women in the peace restoration process in the controlling the mobs going on rampage.
People are also thankful for the intervention of student unions, security forces and others organisations which prevented more casualties such as in the case of the torching of Red Cross Road`s residence of MTDC chairman Manga Vaiphei`s residence, where one person was trapped in the flames and ended up charred to death.
On the night, the intervention of the 7th AR personnel who were present at the place saved more casualties.
A leader of Joint Action Committee, JAC, coordinating the agitation in Churachandpur told IFP that there is one more person who suffered burn injuries still fighting for his life at an Imphal hospital.
It is also now learnt that a Bengali family staying in a building adjacent to the destroyed residence of Manga Vaiphei found themselves trapped on the second floor of their rented accommodation while the protestors and agitators were throwing stones and petrol bombs.
Jharna Deb and his family were scare to move out of the floor they were occupying but as per the family`™s account, they could only escape at about 8:45 pm with the arrival of the personal of 7 AR personnel.
The AR personnel also hit the streets to maintain peace, warning the protester on megaphones to stay clear of the streets.
The Bengali family took the opportunity and yelled out at the AR personnel who thereafter rushed to the floor and rescue the family including Ms Nooti Deb, Ms. Meena Deb and Sobroto Deb, who were brought down safely and quietly to safety zone.
Many security personnel, particularly the AR were hit by stones pelted by the rioters too.
The Deb family run the well-known Deb Bakery.
Meanwhile the need to have a deep freezer in the mortuary in the Churachandpur District Hospital is acutely realised even as the nine dead bodies kept there are beginning to turn putrid despite an air conditioner machine being switched on round the clock.
Womenfolk from the town and its suburbs like Mata Village continued their dharna with zeal and concern at what they called the anti-tribal bills.
It is worth mentioning that though the protests continued, the involvement of womenfolk has effectively checked these protests turning violent unlike in the first few days.
In particular they were responsible for preventing the burning down of Churachandpur Government College late last evening.
Meanwhile ex-MLA Hangkhanpau visited the hospital and paid tribute on behalf of the Zou community to each of the nine who died during the protest.