Imphal, January 02: At least six persons including young children have died due to want of proper medical care while many other are at the verge of starvation in Tipaimukh, Thanlon and Henglep Constituencies with the army not allowing the villagers to bring in medicines and foodgrains as a pre-emptive measure to cut off the supply line to the insurgents as part of the ongoing counter-insurgency operation.

These information were provided by village chiefs to a media team from Imphal who had gone to these places following report that people settled along the sides of National Highway 150, specially the stretch along Tipaimukh Road, bearing the brunt of the ongoing counter insurgency operation.

As informed by the chiefs, personnel of 19 Rajput Regiment stationed at the newly opened Tuilaphai post since the launching of the counter-operation operation in October last, have been keeping a close watch over the food items and their quantity being brought in by the villagers along the road, and clamping restrictions on transportation of medicines, battery, candles, kerosene and other essential items.

The army personnel, however, allow the villagers to bring in only small quantity of rice, which is not even enough to sustain the lives of the villagers.

Talking to the media team, the chief of a village, situated along the road stretch falling within the jurisdiction of Henglep sub-divisions, disclosed that one 30-year old unmarried woman of his village died as the army personnel did not allow the medicines bought by her family members from Churachandpur to be taken in for the ailing woman.

"In the absence of any medical care facilities in the village, sick people have to be taken to Churachandpur for treatment.

But the family of the young woman is poor and cannot afford to take the young woman for treatment.

Moreover, the condition of the roads in the area is so bad that it is not convenient to carry the sick and ailing," the chief said.

He identified the deceased young woman as Chonghuihoi Vaiphei (30) d/o M Hokai of Kolhen village.

She was suffering from fever and died just before Christmas, he added.

The village chief further pointed out that the only Primary Health Sub-Centre located in the village too has not been functioning for the last many years.

Enumerating the problems faced by them, the village chiefs informed that if the villagers bring in 10 kgs of rice, the army personnel take half the quantity without considering that a villager has to spend at least Rs 200 for buying that quantity of rice all the way from Churachandpur.

Although the army personnel always say that the villagers can come back afterward to take the remaining quantity of rice, the poor villagers are always sent back empty handed every time, they claimed.

Restrictions are also imposed on bringing in battery and Kerosene, adding to the woes of the villagers, they disclosed.

As told by the village chiefs, other people who have died due to want of medicines are Khupliankap Vaiphei (6) s/o Semkhogin of Kamkeilob, Laluinlun Neihsial (16) s/o Ngullelu of Santing, Boylen Gangte (2) s/o Thangjlian of Santing, Boypu (5) and Boylon (7) both sons of Sesam of Thenjol.

Some of them died before Christmas and some others after Christmas.

Since the arrival of the army at New Pangshang, not only the villagers, but also commuters along the way are facing a lot of problems with army personnel stopping them for frequent frisking and checking.

The village chiefs complained that the local people are being used as forced labours even at night time, and not allowed to have meal till late in the afternoon, despite knowing that the villagers usually have their meal early.

If the work goes on till late night, the villagers are not provided warm clothings and forced to bear the winter chill all night long, they alleged.

The village chiefs appealed against using innocent villagers as human shields and porters by the security force.

This has resulted in many villagers suffering injuries during shoot outs with the insurgents, the chiefs informed.

The villagers are also forced to fetch water for the army men.

They are also made to drink it to ensure it is not poisoned before it is put in the water tanks, they disclosed.

With army personnel having occupied Pang-shang Church, the villagers are not allowed to go inside the Church for worship, the village chiefs lamented while decrying the attitude of the security personnel in defiling the sanctity of the Church.

Shifting of army personnel from Pangshang to Silhol was an occasion for joy for the villagers, they said, and informed that while the army personnel were stationed at Pangshang, men and women of the village used to sleep separately in groups.

The suffering of the villagers living along the sides of Tipaimukh Road is no different with many of them on the verge of starvation following strict restrictions imposed on bringing rice and other essential commodities, according to the aggrieved village chiefs.

The army personnel do not allow the villagers to bring in rice and kerosene to the village despite having the due approval of the Deputy Commissioner of Churachandpur.

In fact the permits were snatched and torn into pieces by the security personnel, the village chiefs alleged, while charging the army personnel with setting on fire the granaries and houses at Umtal and robbing the villagers of their gold ornaments and solar lamps.

With no rice left for the villagers to eat in Umtal, the only option left now is to shift the village, the Umtal village chief said, and informed that many of the villagers have already fled from the village fearing atrocities of the army personnel who routinely beat up the villagers without any reason.

Two villagers of Phoipi were allegedly beaten up by the security personnel for not being able to speak Hindi, according to the village chiefs.

Private vehicles plying along the route are being forced to fetch water for the army personnel and the passengers were made to come out of the vehicles and walk on foot, they informed.

Unable to bear the atrocities of the army since the launching of the counter operation, the village chiefs of the area numbering around 79 of them have reportedly convened a meeting twice, first at Santing and the second at Aina, to discuss the problems being faced by them and to raise objections against the restriction imposed on transportation of food items, using villagers as porters and guides.

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