Atom Samarendra, Yumkhaibam Kirankumar : One year since they went missing At least return their bodies, wives urge

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, May 5: Atom Kavita and Yumkhaibam Basanti have lost all faith in the Government to trace their husbands, but they are yet keeping alive the little hope they have of reuniting someday.
If not alive, they want the remains of their husbands returned to them.
Both of Khumbong, Atom Kavita is wife of Atom Samarendra and Yumkhaibam Basanti is wife of Yumkhaibam Kirankumar.
Their husbands went missing on May 6, 2023 just a few days after violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, 2023.
Atom Samarendra's last rites were held using a "Pangong" as the replacement of the remains on December 15, 2023.
Kavita last spoke with Samarendra on the phone at around 4.23 pm of May 6, the day he went missing.
Samarendra told her he was at the Sangaithel Olympian Park, located in the border area between Imphal West and Kangpokpi district.
He was the general secretary of the Imphal West Student Club and a former journalist.
Kavita said Samarendra did social work, and during COVID-19 pandemic, he frequently visited and helped the community at Sangaithel, where he went missing.
"If he has been killed, they would be committing a sin of killing someone who helped them during their hard times," Kavita said.
She blames the Government for failing to trace the whereabouts of her husband even after a year.
Even though the Chief Minister has assured and informed that the case has been handed over to the CBI, Kavita said she has doubts that the bureau is actually investigating the case.
Months have gone, but the CBI has not once visited her home and enquired about her husband.
Kavita continued that the State Government has not yet taken up any steps regarding the case and added that her husband was working with the Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (ISBD) when he went missing.
While she was promised a regular job by the Government, ISBD has engaged her as an outsourced employee, a multi-tasking staff (MTS).
For her to join the Department as a regular employee, she needs her husband's death certificate.
"As my husband is still missing, the Government authorities have not issued the death certificate. I have been told that it may take about 7 years to issue the certificate. They can't trace my husband and when my family is reeling under immense difficulties, we have been given another burden. The Government is not at all helping us as promised," Kavita said.
The Government, if it wants to help, should  understand the difficulties the family is facing and assist as promised.
"There is nothing much I can do now except make appeals, cope with the difficulties and hope for some relief. I am urging the Government to find my husband. If he is alive and being held as a captive, please return him. If he is dead, please return his remains," Kavita said.
On the other hand, Yumkhaibam Kirankumar's wife, Yumkhaibam Basanti said, "The location where my husband went missing is not a remote place and is easily accessible, yet they have so far failed to trace his whereabouts, and remains if he is dead."
She said she has lost faith in the Government to trace her husband.
"I don't know if they are indeed searching for my husband or not. All they say is they are searching, but we can't know for sure. I have made multiple appeals. Now, I have decided to remain silent," Basanti said.
Basanti also said she was promised a job by the Government, but this has not been expedited yet.
"I know the chance of finding my husband is slim, but I'm learning to not give up the little hope I have," Basanti said.