“I am injured but not scared” told the 17 year old boy with more than 58 ‘pellet’ needles pierced into his skull and now undergoing surgery, allegedly fired by RAF during protest in Imphal, Manipur

“I will be fine, don’t worry about me and I am not scared, just injured”, these were the parting words of Soibam Uttam, 17, to his family while he was being taken inside the operation theatre at a private hospital in Imphal, Manipur on Thursday. He is one of the many victims of the fresh flare-up in the strife-torn state. He had sustained grievous injuries on his head after clashes broke out late on Tuesday evening, between protesters and forces. His head was punctured with fragments and splinters, suspected be have been fired from pellet guns and kartoos allegedly by the Rapid Action Force (RAF). Between Tuesday and Wednesday, more than sixty, mostly students and young people have been injured. Protests erupted after pictures of two children including one minor had surfaced confirming their captivity and subsequent death. The deceased duo belonged to the Meitei community and had gone missing since July 6 this year. Their pictures, disturbing in nature had emerged after mobile internet suspension was withdrawn by the N Biren Singh Government. Protests led by students spilled onto the streets of Imphal and other parts of the valley in demand for justice.

“My brother was there part of the protest rally but this is what the RAF did to him and others. He is a young boy and there were many others. They were unarmed but forces used pellet guns, smoke bombs and tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. The time was around 10.30 or 11 pm on Tuesday night and my brother and others had rushed inside the gate of a building to catch a breath. Police were firing tear gas shells and thus they ran for breath. But while inside the gate, the RAF came and opened firing. Uttam is critical” said Soibam Kangleingamba, brother of Uttam recalling the account his brother narrated to him.

Soibam Uttam was undergoing surgery at the time this report was filed. His family members were waiting outside the operation theatre. Hours after the OT had started, the doctors briefly came out to inform the family that so far 58 small pellets whose sharp needles had pierced into the skull of Uttam, were removed and those were from just the right side of the head. The left side, which was equally hurt and affected by such fragments, was yet to be operated. Doctors informed the family about the criticality associated with the operation before going inside the OT once again.

“I will urge the government to think and stop using such brute force on protesters. They are children. The agony that we are going through, no one should have to go through this in Manipur” said the brother while alleging that the Rapid Action Force showed no mercy on the young students. The brother also added that there were many such young people who were equally affected and could be worse. There are pictures and videos now doing rounds that show forces had dragged and assaulted protesters. There has been no official statement from the government or the security agencies justifying their actions. “I was knocked down on the road and then they kept hitting me with their baton while I kept pleading for mercy,” said another young boy who requested not to be identified. He was part of the protest rally on Wednesday in Imphal. He showed his back that bore the marks of the assault, bruised and bleeding.

“My brother told me that he clearly saw a gun that looked like a single barrel and had a wooden butt and that was used to fire at them by the RAF. The doctors have not confirmed on papers that those were pellets filed from pellet guns but we heard the discussion among the doctors” said Soibam Kangleingamba. He added that so far no one from the government has reached out to them to offer any kind of help. He claimed that one police officer came to the hospital after Uttam’s pictures went into circulation and enquired about him briefly and then allegedly left without taking any report or complaint. The family hasn’t lodged any complaint as yet but a social organisation named Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity has filed an FIR alleging that RAF had fired “rubber bullets, tear gas shells, smoke bombs and live bullets towards the protesting students in uniform…”