Manipur clashes: Good Samaritans come to rescue of ‘outsiders’

GUWAHATI: Sundarjit Arambam (42) breached curfew on Sunday morning to take his company junior from Assam, Samarjyoti Deka of Baihata Chariali, to Imphal airport in Manipur where curfew remains in place for most of the day and night following incidents of ethnic violence.
The 10km road from the hotel at AOC area in Imphal West, where Samarjyoti (31) was staying since May 3, to the airport resembled the days in Assam three-and-a-half years ago when he saw a heap of burnt tyres and a trail of destruction on the road during the anti-CAA (Citizen Amendment Act) movement.
Sundarjit drove Samarjyoti in his personal car despite knowing that there was every risk of facing an attack on the road. Being one from the Meitei community, Sundarjit had ample ground to worry but he drove his junior “home”. Both Meitei and the Kuki communities have claimed that they have been attacked.
“Hotels started shutting down as most of the people left by Saturday night. Samarjyoti was in a helpless situation and I requested the hotelier to allow him to stay on. But finally they were about to close down the hotel amid tension. I decided to take the risk to drop my junior at the airport,” Sundarjit told TOI over phone from Imphal, on Monday.
It was a deserted road where he was stopped and questioned at several security checkpoints and Sundarjit did not have any document to prove that he was helping in the evacuation.
It was an acquaintance of barely a few months but the gesture shown by Sundarjit will be cherished by his Assamese friend forever. “I was totally unaware of the situation and landed in Imphal on May 3 when the violence erupted. Scarcity of food had already hit my hotel by the time I returned. There was no water supply from the water tankers. It is a hopeless situation,” said Samarjyoti.
In Imphal West, the situation is worrisome and barely 200 metres from the hotel, a church was burnt and a shopping mall also damaged at a walking distance.
Manglem Thingom, a retired government official in Terakeithel locality in West Imphal, has given shelter to three workers from Bihar who run saloons. Chandan Thakur, an occupant of one of his rented rooms, told TOI that he is not willing to return considering the improving situation and safety provided by his landlord. “My landlord kept the gates locked and gave us a total sense of security. Today, we went to the market when curfew was relaxed in the morning and hope the situation will become normal within a few days,’ said Chandan.