On March 3, during the Yaoshang festival, a 20-year-old woman named Ningthoujam Purnima tragically took her own life by hanging at the Leimaram Relief Camp, a temporary shelter for displaced individuals. The Like Minded Group (LMG), a humanitarian organization, responded to the tragedy by visiting the camp and offering financial assistance of Rs. 7,000 to Purnima’s mother, Ningthoujam Subhashini, in an effort to alleviate the family’s suffering. This aid highlights LMG’s ongoing commitment to support those facing hardship in Manipur, particularly amidst the ongoing communal unrest that has led to many people being displaced and residing in such camps since early May 2023.
Purnima, the youngest of six siblings, was a student at Oinam Girl’s Higher Secondary School. Her family had been living in the relief camp after fleeing violent conditions in their hometown of Waroiching. In a statement regarding the assistance provided, LMG’s Secretary Ojit Sorokhaibam emphasized the impact of extreme hardship and mental anguish that residents of the camp endure, which he believes contributed to Purnima’s tragic decision.
Ojir Sorokhaibam also noted the alarming rise in suicides among the camp’s residents, indicating the necessity for mental health awareness programs to be implemented in these camps to address mental health issues effectively. He urged the public to assist Purnima’s family during this difficult time and called for community support for LMG’s work, which has been operational for the past five years, with members regularly contributing to help those in distress.