Tragic Mortar Attack Claims Lives of Two Children in Imphal
Heartbreaking Loss in Bishnupur
Victim's mother Oinam Binita with her husband at Raj Medicity Hospital. (Photo)
Imphal, Apr 12: Oinam Binita's heart-wrenching statement, “Is this the age for them to sacrifice for the motherland? Until the perpetrators are brought to justice, I will not find peace,” resonates deeply as she mourns the loss of her two young children in a mortar attack in Bishnupur.
“Even when I called them, they did not respond… If I had died and my children survived, it would have been better,” she lamented, her voice breaking as she lay in a hospital bed at Raj Medicity Hospital on Sunday.
Binita has been receiving intensive care for the last four days and is reportedly on the mend.
She was admitted to the hospital following a suspected mortar strike on April 7 that tragically took the lives of her five-year-old son and five-month-old daughter.
The attack occurred around 1 am in Tronglaobi Awang Leikai, under the jurisdiction of Moirang Police Station, when a projectile, believed to have been fired by militants, hit a residential area.
Security personnel at the blast site. (Photo)
As she grieves for her children, Binita also bears the physical injuries from the attack. Her husband, Oinam Mangalsana, who serves in the Border Security Force and was stationed in Bihar during the incident, shared X-ray images showing multiple fractures in her body, reportedly caused by shrapnel from the explosion.
Expressing her frustration over the security situation, she questioned, “What is the purpose of having security forces in my area? We relied on their presence… My husband serves to protect the nation… I believed we would be safe… but when I woke up, there was no one to protect my family.”
Nearby, the children's grandmother, Oinam Loidam, sat in sorrow, grappling with unanswered questions. She noted that Binita's condition remains critical, with frequent episodes of unconsciousness.
Victims' grandmother, Oinam Loidam (left). (Photo)
Loidam recounted the family's efforts to shield Binita from the harsh reality. “What will we tell her if she asks for her two children?” she pondered.
“She only learned the truth after accidentally seeing a newspaper… we told her they were receiving treatment… but we couldn’t keep it hidden forever,” Loidam added.
As protests grow louder, demanding justice for the victims, the family's story highlights the devastating human toll of violence, where loss is profound and justice remains elusive.
“I sacrificed my two children for the motherland… so I will accept whatever the people decide…” Binita said, her voice trembling.