Introduction:
The month-long violence in Manipur has left indelible scars on the lives of its people, with one particular incident standing out as a heartbreaking testament to the brutality that unfolded. Amid deadly ethnic clashes between tribal groups and the majority Meitei community, an eight-year-old boy, Tonsing Hangsing, lost his life when a mob set fire to the ambulance transporting him, his mother, Meena Hangsing, and a relative, Lydia Lourembam, to a hospital in Manipur’s West Imphal district. This tragic event has further deepened the wounds of an already tumultuous region.
The Incident:
The incident occurred in the remote Iroisemba area of Imphal West district, where the ambulance carrying the injured boy and his companions was waylaid by a crowd of approximately 2,000 people, primarily from the Kuki tribe. While the boy’s father belongs to the same tribe, he was not present during the attack. Tensions arose as the mother and male relative accompanying the child were from the Meitei community, leading to a horrifying turn of events.
Despite the desperate pleas from the occupants of the ambulance, who explained that the boy had sustained bullet injuries, the mob callously refused to show mercy and instead set the vehicle ablaze. A police official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, shared with Reuters, “The woman and man in the ambulance pleaded for mercy, saying the little boy had bullet injuries, but the mob refused to spare them and set it on fire.” The flames engulfed the vehicle, tragically claiming the lives of the young boy, his mother, and their relative.
The Aftermath:
Joshua Hangsing, the grieving father of the deceased boy, revealed in an interview with local television Northeast Live that he had not yet received the bodies of his loved ones. He expressed his anguish, stating, “I have not yet received the dead bodies, but I have heard that the three were charred beyond recognition with just a few bones left in the ambulance.” This heartbreaking situation further amplifies the sense of loss and pain endured by the family.
Reports indicate that Tonsing Hangsing and his mother were taking shelter at an Assam Rifles relief camp in Kangchup. On June 4, as a gunfight broke out in the area, the young boy was tragically struck by a bullet. An Assam Rifles officer promptly contacted the police in Imphal to arrange for an ambulance. Since the mother belonged to the majority Meitei community, it was decided to transport the child to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal by road.
Initially escorted by Assam Rifles personnel for a few kilometers, the responsibility for the ambulance was later transferred to the local police. However, approximately at 6:30 pm, the vehicle was intercepted by civilians in Isoisemba, who set it ablaze, resulting in the deaths of all three occupants. Shockingly, the whereabouts of their remains remain unknown, intensifying the sorrow and distress of the grieving family.
Conclusion:
The tragic death of eight-year-old Tonsing Hangsing, along with his mother Meena Hangsing and relative Lydia Lourembam, serves as a harrowing reminder of the deep wounds inflicted by the month-long violence in Manipur. The incident, where a mob callously set fire to the ambulance carrying the wounded child and his companions, underscores the need for urgent measures to address the prevailing ethnic clashes and promote peace in the region.
It is crucial for the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into this heart-rending incident and bring the perpetrators to justice. Furthermore, the government should prioritize initiatives aimed at
