RIMS morgue to Gandhi Ghat : Three souls take last journey
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 23 2009: Mortal remains of SDO Thingnam Kishan, Mandal Yumnam Token and Driver Aribam Rajen who were brutally murdered by cadres belonging to the NSCN (IM) were claimed by respective family members amidst a tearful funeral procession.

As per an understanding reached between the family members, JAC and the Government, the last rites of the three slain employees were performed at Gandhi Ghat, Uripok.

As the mortal remains of SDO Dr Thingnam Kishan, driver Aribam Rajen, Mandal Yumnam Token take their last journey the public let go off their pent up emotions and anger to bid them farewell

Following an agreement between the JAC and the Government, family members, relatives and a large number of people including members of different civil society organisations came to RIMS mortuary to claim the mortal remains this morning.

As the mortal remains were brought out from the mortuary, a large number of people particularly women broke down and sobbed giving vent to their emotions.

The lifeless bodies were then put on three trucks one after another in three well decorated coffins.

Thereafter a large number of people took out a funeral procession starting from Lamphel traffic point.

From there, the procession snaked through RIMS Road, Nagamapal, Wahengbam Leikai, Keishampat and Singjamei Yumnam Leikai through Keishamthong.

At Yumnam Leikai, the birthplace of Yumnam Token, people paid floral tributes to the three persons who were found murdered in the most primitive method using crude weapons.

From Yumnam Leikai, the procession headed to the homes of the other two victims at Uripok and Nagamapal carrying all the three coffins.

The rallyists who took part in the funeral procession held placards which read as, Let truth be your walking stick, Ibobi, Truthful persons are unable to live, Why are the unbridled rulers so afraid, Won't the Government protect lives of innocent citizens.

IM's peace in the hills, deaths in the valley.

Earlier, as the three trucks carrying the three coffins approached RIMS Road Crossing, police halted the procession and asked the people to take the three coffins to their houses separately.

To this, the shocked and aggrieved people maintained that they would take the three corpses together as they died together.

Enraged and visibly upset by the police instruction, a large number of people lay prostrate on the road in front of the vehicles carrying coffins.

At this moment, some people took down the coffins containing mortal remains of Token and Rajen and put them on the truck carrying the coffin of Kishan.

Finally, the people's wish prevailed and mortal remains of the three persons were brought to the houses of each of them together one after another where a large number of people paid their last respects.

Moreover, at several points along the route of the procession, people came out and paid floral tributes to the departed souls.

The tearful and heart rending procession culminated at Gandhi Ghat where State Government officials paid tribute to the slain employees.

The Government officials who came there to pay obeisance to the departed souls included Ministers, MLAs, the Chief Secretary, the DGP and other high-ranking officials.

This was followed by a Manipur Rifles team offering gun salute in honour of the employees killed in the line of duty.

Later, mortal remains of Dr Thingnam Kishan, Y Token and Aribam Rajen were put to rest with customary rites.