Sehken/Tuibuong, Churachandpur (Manipur): Missing for close to eight months, Khamajahau’s family finally saw him on Wednesday, December 20. His body was lifeless, mutilated, and embalmed. It was handed to his family by authorities in Churachandpur district.
Since May 3 when ethnic violence involving Kuki-Zo community and Meiteis swept Manipur, 32-year-old Khamajahau who is a resident of Churachandpur and worked at a cement store, had been missing. His family filed a missing person report.
The months-long search ended on December 9 when the family was informed by authorities that Khamajahau’s body was among the 87 slain persons who were kept at different mortuaries of the state before being handed over to their families.
Speaking with The Wire, Chinghuaikin, his cousin, said that his family had been searching for him in every possible place, including relief camps that have sprung up for the victims of the violence that has killed nearly 200 people and injured thousands.
“It is a blessing that our martyr has finally come home,” Chinghuaikin said, “It breaks my heart to see him go away like this. It happened so suddenly that even now I can’t believe he is no longer with us.”
Authorities said 87 victims of violence in this northeastern state were handed to their families on Wednesday amid tight security arrangements in the worst-hit Churachandpur district where additional Rapid Action Force and central paramilitary troopers were deployed to ensure calm.
This story was originally published in thewire.in. Read the full story here .