testimonial of a traumatized widow

Testimony of Smt. Athokpam (O) Tarubi devi

I, Smt. Athokpam (O) Tarubi Devi aged about 47 years, W/O  (L) Athokpam Manja Singh, R/O Basikhong Torban Leikai P.O. Irilbung, P.S. Irilbung, Imphal East District, 795010, would like to testify the happenings of the day my husband was taken away by the Rapid Action Force, without issuing arrest memo around 8-8.30 p.m. from our house. My husband was working at Manipur University as a peon. He was an alcoholic and hardly goes for his work. My husband was terminated from his work owing to regular absence from work. When he was alive we had multiple problems starting from shortage of food, shortage of money and quarrelling with me and other people. However, he was good natured, caring and loving person when he was sober.

On 29^th April 2007, around 8-8.30 p.m. we heard a familiar voice calling from our gate, “Tamocha” several times. (people known to us called my husband “Tamocha” which means younger brother). It was pitch dark outside as there was no electricity and the person repeatedly called my husband as he came towards our door and told us to open the door quickly.  When I opened the door, the person hurriedly came inside the house and said he wanted to talk to my husband. The person was in civil dress and he appears to be around 28-29 years old. My husband entered the room where the person was standing and he took my husband outside the house. My husband was wearing khudei (cloth wrapped around the waist) without vest and sandal. The stranger asked if my husband was into contracts and he talked continuously as he walked towards the courtyard. My children and my husband followed the person towards the courtyard. While we were standing in the courtyard, another person in police commando uniform appeared from the darkness carrying a long rifle. He arrested my husband without showing any arrest memo and led him towards the gate. The person in civilian dress took out revolver from his pocket and pointed towards us and he threatened us not to move or shout and to remain standing. He threatened us that he would kill my husband if we move or shout for help. He walked towards the gate pointing the gun towards us and disappeared into the darkness. We were all helpless and could not do anything to save him. They took him away in their vehicle towards the village ground. Later, my eldest son informed me that the rapid action forces had parked their vehicle near the Meirapaibi shed which is few houses away from our house. He was coming from the opposite direction and had seen the policemen approaching towards the vehicle. He had hidden himself amongst the bushes fearing the policemen and also to avoid unnecessary questioning. He did not realize that it was his father, the police had arrested.  We informed some of our relatives and the MLA of our constituency about the arrest, however no police stations were aware about the arrest.

The next morning we were informed about the death of my husband, he was found killed in the Langol hill clad only in khudai (as he was taken away at night) by some villager’s.  My eldest daughter Echan went to the morgue to confirm whether it was her father. She told me that he was shot on the right temple and his left side of cheek was smeared with dry leaf and mud. It appears that his hands were twisted for being tied from behind and his body bore injury marks. It appears that he was beaten and tortured before shooting him to death. My daughter fainted on seeing the mutilated body of her father. Our relatives decided not to take the body from the morgue until the culprits were apprehended. Joint action Committee was formed in our locality agitating against the murder of my husband, and for two days the body was not collected. The policemen who arrested and killed my husband were not traceable and no reason was given on the death of my husband. I decided it was not going to solve the subject or bring solace, in lengthening the issue, so after two days, I collected the body from the morgue with the help of my relatives and performed the necessary last rites according to our custom.

The day my husband was arrested from our house in the presence of our family members, I never knew he will not return home. He was a simple person without any fault and wrong doings, so I thought he would return to us. Even if he behaves madly when drunk, he hardly create problem outside the house. I don’t know why he was killed so brutally by the policemen, without any fault from his side. Later, I heard from the locality, that a few days before his arrest and murder, my husband had an altercation at the liquor shop which is located a few houses away from our residence. This family had performed shoisthi pooja of their newborn child and my husband had argument with few people who came to attend the ceremony. These people had pointed their finger to my husband and shouted from the gate that they would take revenge one day. Some people of our locality doubted these persons might have taken revenge and instigated the police personnel’s to kill my husband. Whatever may be the reason, it was wrong on the part of the policemen to kill my husband. He was an innocent person not involved in the activities of the insurgent groups.

The MLA of our jurisdiction came for condolence and gave Rs. 30,000/ and we received compensation of Rs. 1 Lakh after one year. The Minister also made a strong promise to provide employment to one of the nearest kin. However, this promise has not been accomplished till today even if we had inquired several times with the Minister. There was no magisterial inquiry for further investigation of the matter. The police personnel involved in the murder remained unknown and were not traceable. 

Our family condition worsened drastically after the death of my husband. We became poorer and my children stopped their education for two years.  We live on one square meal per day with great difficulty and most of the time we had only boiled vegetables to sustain our hunger. I decided to work at fields and construction sites for earning money. We do not get pension of my husband as he was terminated from his job. People from our locality offered advice and suggestions that I should not get married again, and I should take care of my growing children. I have developed psychological problem, tension develop within me all the time when I go to field and other work, I get afraid the commandos may visit our house and terrorize my children in my absence. I cannot see the army or the policemen, I get afraid what they would do to us. Late at night, I cannot hear the dogs barking or people shouting, fear will develop and I would get excited and nervous. The fear that the police involved in killing my husband may visit and harassed our family is there all the time.

I do not own BPL card for getting the monthly ration. I am not availing widow pension scheme and I don’t have the knowledge from where to get these benefits. My children are all grown up and the youngest two daughters are studying in standard eleven in Government aided school. We are receiving Rajiv Gandhi fellowship for two children. Two of my sons are in college and eldest daughter Echan is a professional artist and goes for national and international shows. She helps me in financing the family and now the condition of our family has improved.

I am living for my children, I feel I should be strong and confident for them. They should not feel orphaned in the society when I am alive. I get discriminated on various accounts being a widow. I will stand for them and no one should discriminate my children as long as I am alive.