Testimony of a woman abducted by outlaws

Testimony of Smt.  Oinam (O) Chanam Dilabi

I, Smt.Oinam (O) Chanam Dilabi aged about 47 years, W/O Sh. Oinam Bijendro,    R/O Heirangoithong Maibam Leikai, P.O. Canchipur, P.S. Singjamei, District Imphal West, 795003, recall the unforgettable moment of the fateful night of 29^th January 2011. The KCP (MC) insurgents made a monetary demand of Rs.10 lakhs to my brother Ch. Ajit, working as Under Secretary in the State Finance Department. In order to handover the demanded amount, I went to Moirang Bazaar with my sister on this fateful day. On reaching Moirang Bazaar, no one was present to collect the money, and I received a call from the suspected insurgents directing us to come to Keibul Ithing to deliver the money. We met a women and an unidentified man at Keibul Ithing. After taking the money, they instructed us to sit inside the auto rickshaw and at gun point blindfolded me and took us to an unknown destination. We were kept in a fishing hut located within the phum (patch of land formed from mud and grass) and kept us and my sister captive for the night. They threatened me to bring more money and they would kill me and remain captive for many days if their demands are not provided. My family members were also threatened to bring more money. I was so frightened with their behavior I begged them not to kill me and to consider our life for the sake of my young children at home. Next morning I heard few gunshots and the cadres ran away, we also ran out from the room and came across some army personnel speaking in Manipuri. We narrated to them how we were taken hostage there and they took us to safety.

From this unforgettable incident, I find it very difficult to trust people, suffer from mental depression, very often gets disturbed and the feeling of uneasiness develops on slight tension at home. The fear that these cadres might appear again and made monetary demands also remains most of the time. The fear that I might be abducted again and went through the same trauma of that fearful night leaves me tensed and frightened.The underground cadres demanding money from the public on the ground of serving the public should be stopped. Women and children should not be abducted or kidnapped in order to meet their demands.