THE GREAT ESCAPE-11TH JANUARY 1982

THE GREAT ESCAPE- 11TH JANUARY 1982

1981/82 gi matam asida lalhoubagi mingda faduna Jail da thamlaba meeoi khudingmak bail da thoknanabagi khudongchaba amatta leite. Matamdugi Court na lalhoubagi mingda faraba meeoisingbu bail piba amasung pidada makhal ani thokna leirammi. NSA/NSO da detain touduna Manipur gi wangmada leiba Banaras na chingba atei Jail da namsillaga thamjilli. Court na bail piraba singsu Jail dagi release touba matamda gate tagi amuk hanna police na fajilli. Magistrate amagi mamangda puthoktuna anouba case ama pansillaga Jail da amuk-hanna namsillaga thambagi chatnabi ama leirammi. Maran leitaba meeoi kayasu chingnei haiduna case kaya pansinbiraga Jail da namsillaga thamba kaya amasu yaokhi. Court na achumba wayel toujaba pamlagasu matam adugi palliba leingak mapusinga police ka manaraga maran leitaba kayabu awaba famda tahanba ngammi. Asida nattana matamdugi Jail gi IG puramba meeoi aduna CRPF amadi Police sing puraktuna yamna toina Jail manungda combing operation chatthei. Combing Operation manungda ehing nahing sana fu cheiduna ot-neiba kayamarum chatharammi. Asidagi wahou ama oiduna Jail manungda achouba erang ama thokkhi. Fivam aduda khangba ngamdraba PLA cadre singna IG adu koitan tannaduna fukhi. Madugi wahoudagi CRPF singna prisoner singda nongmei kapsinduna, hand grenade langsinduna landasinkhi. Manungda ehou houriba prisoner sing laksinnaba ahenba force matam adugi Imphal district Additional SP na chinglaga manungda changnaba thomjinlakkhi. Manungda ehou touriba PLA cadre sing atei meeoising pullaga force sing adu manungda changba ngamdanaba Jail gi yotki thongjao adu hangdoktuna changba yadanaba tumnaba thariba kangthon (famung) sing adu louthoklaga thongjao aduda ngaksinduna thamlaga changba thingkhi. Kaina-thangda wari watai kaya sanaraba matungda atei ahenba force sing changhandana Jail gi warder sing changhanduna mathou touhankhi. Thoudok asida maru oina Jail manungda leiriba PLA Cadre singda asok apan yamna yaokhi. Thokliba thoudok adu numidanggi pung taruk (6) aduwaidagi houraga pung nipan (8) taba matamda Additional SP amasung Imphal DC laktuna thoudok adu yasinnaduna loisinkhi. Asokpasing treatment pikhi. Asigumba meeot meenei kaya asigi marakta lalhouba singna khangduna leikhi.

July 6th Tekcham gi thoudok thokle. Thoudok asida Oja N. Bisheswar fakhre Oja kaya lanfamda sikhre. August 1, 1981 da marup Ch. Tombi (Benny), amasung Assamese Marup Bimol Das leikhidre. Amadi eikhoigi athouba marup kaya kaya mathang mathang leikhidaba amadi kaya amana fakhre. Thoudoksing asigi pao tabada Jail da awa fam taduna leiriba PLA cadre sing khangduna leiba ngamlaktre. Masidagi PLA Cadre singna Jail dagi nanthoktuna chennabagidmakta wa tannaba hourakkhi.

Ahanbagi kok chungsinnaba PLA Cadre singna thousil thourang mathang mathang tourammi. Hairiba thourang asi touringeigi cheirak asida PLA Cadre kharana makhoigi oiba tonganba thousil ama touduna jailor bu over power touraga Jeep amada jailor bu faduna hapchillaga gate lomda nanthokkhirammi. Nanthokkhiba asida PLA Cadre 12 ni. Thoudok asi thokkhiba asidagi matam khara leiraga Additional Jail lomda PREPAK na thourang touraga tunnel toukhi. Tunnel asida PREPAK ki matamdugi luchingba ama chenthoknaba thoklubada tunnel mayadagi fakhi amadi meeoi ani nanthoktuna chenkhi. Thokkhiba thoudok asina maram oiraga PLA Cadre singna tunnel tounabagi thourang toubada achouba pambei ama oikhi. Hairiba pambei asina ahouba oiraga achouba Jail Break amagi mang ama mangkhi.

Mai pakpagi tanja fanglabanina, thousil adu mapung fana yekthokpa tarammi. Ahanbada hougadouriba mafam adudagi wall faobada feet kaya oigadage amadi wall gi mapandana feet kaya chatlaga komna chatpa yagadage haibadu yektuna puthoklammi. Karamba mawongda, kayam luna kayam pakkadage amadi matou karamna oxygen fanggadage haibagi thousil aduda mayek sengna taklammi. Tunnel toubagi mawong matoudi leikhidraba marup Ch. Tombi (Benny) dagi technical oiba mahei asi khanghoukhi.

Surung Hutpa Houba:
Surung hutpada tha amagi matam loukhi. Surung hutpada sijinnaba khutlaidi, thangjou ama, sori ama, pen torch light amani. Thangjouna Convict taraba kangbudagi lourakpani, aduga sorina Kitchen dagi lourakpani, punna prisoner 100 dagi tadana chennanabagi pandamni. Leibak thamfam leiraktabadagi sangna tougadabadu tensinba tarakkhi. Chaorakna feet 150 muk sangna toukhi.

Room no 4 gi latrine gi kadagi touba houraga changfam du (tunnel inlet) (1 ½ x 1 ½ ft.) asini, asidagi henna chaohanba yadre. Changbada nungaina marang kaina changba yabadi oidre eikhoi pumnamak tunnel gi expert ti oirakkhidabani. Ft. 15 muk touraga ehan hanba oina thengnaba problem asi tunnel manungda thabak suriba meeoisingna oxygen ningthina fangdabana oikhi. Minute ama (1) subada kok chikpa sor (breath) honbada wabana, manungda leiraga subadi ngamdre. Aduna amuk touruba aduga amuk tunnel gi mapanda sor honnaba chenthorakpa asina manungda thabak kuina suba yadre. Oxygen si manungda leitre haina khannei.

Karamna Tunnel manungda oxygen fanghangadage haibasi eikhoida achouba singnaba ama oire. Tunnel gi thabak chatthariba eikhoi pumnamak lemna leinade thabak sujinba yadragasu, kokti thadei, Oxygen gi struggle asida oxygen fangdabagi experience asi eikhoi pumnamakki oina ahanba oigani. Oxygen fanghannaba upaisi makhal ahum (3) sijinnakhi. Upai ani kannakhide akonba ahumsuba upaina eikhoi pumnamakpu mai pakhankhi.

(1) Marup sing nare haisinnaraga jailor dagi Table fan ama louraga tunnel da fan gi nungsit humjilli, oide masina ahanba upai oina sijinnakhibani.

(2) Anisubada likli glass amagi manungda mei chaklaba candle ama leihanbada meido kuina leite, mutkhi. Oxygen glass manungda leitabadagini. Glass ki diameter adu eikhoina santhichegumba amana part ani thokna kakhal ama piragadi glass ki manungda leiriba candle adu mei chaklaga leiba ngamgani. Ngamlibadu oxygen changnaba passage ama piba aduga Carbon dioxide thoknaba passage pibadagini haiba angang oiringeigi science ki para bu ningsinglaga, tunnel da Oxygen changnaba hotnei, mai pakte.

(3) Feet 15 sanglaba tunnel haibadu oirabani. Masidagi mathakta yamna pikna makhul macha ama hutlaga changyeng tou-e. Leimai mathakta faona hutlubadagi eikhoi pumnamakki thammoida soidana tunnel gi thabaksi mai paklagani haina faonei. Apikpa makhul macha asidagi kaptharakpa nungsit oxygen asi Aeroplane gi famfam seat ki kokki mathakta leiba nungsit kaptharakpadumaina eikhoida nungaihalle, Oxygen fangnaba makhul taruk (6) lom muk hutle. Oxygen gi problem solve toure.

Ningthamthagi engjaragasu tunnel manungdadi A/C room gumbani. Adubu warm oibana thabak progress leina chatthabada apanba amadi oihalli. Tunnel manungdusu pungmam mammi. Asigumba mambagi khudong chadaba problem macha sidi manungda electric pusinlaga pumngan nganhalle. Jail gi oina meidi 24 hr pibibanina, eikhoigi laibak faba haibadu tare. Tunnel gi thabaksi nungthil amasung numidang leptana chatthei. Nungthilgi matam oirabasu numidangbu oirabasu surprise Jail search toubasi Jail authority na toina toina pangthok-e. Madugi damakta eikhoina, sentry oinaba mangjounana search team lakle khangdoknaba Old Jail dagi New Jail faoba chaithoklaga meeoi mari manga (4/5) leinei. Makhoina pao pirakpana tunnel manungdagi eikhoina thoraklaga hutliba makhul mensillaga, ningthina loisinba ngamhalli.

Eikhoigi oinadi pot macha (small arm & grenade) manungda yousillakkadouraba aduga mapandasu manunggi eikhoina chenthorakpada cover fire pinanaba two-wheeler/four-wheeler garina ngairaga leinanabagi khannarabani. Chennabagi plan, houba matamda mapandagi cover fire pirakpa pumnamak eikhoigi thabak thouram ngaktani. Escape tourakpada eikhoigi meeoi nattaba atoppa lupki meeoi eikhoina invite toubadagi yaorakkhi. Madugidamakta eikhoina chaothokchaba faojakhi.

Eikhoigi tunnel faogadabasi 1st MR gi campus manunggi mongsong manungdani. Madudabu faogatpa ngamlabadi Jail da leiramliba matamdugi masing yamlaba PLA cadre pumnamak escape touba ngamlagani haina thajanei. Adubu tunnel manungdagi puthorakpa leibaksi yambana thamfam leitabagi awaba mayoknaba hourakkhi. Ceiling mathakta thambadagi hendoktuna Room-4 gi Veranda gi mathaksu leibakna thalle. Mapandasu leibak sing hondoklaga thamba houre. Thamliba leibaksing asi khangdanaba leibak touthoktuna hingkhol koire. Manungdagi puthorakpa leibaksing adu hingkholgi touthoklaba leisa maraktasu hapchille. Leibak yambana sindokpada awabadi oirabani. Akonbada upai leiraktabadagi eikhoigi manungi tunnel da yet oida leibaksing napsinba yaba napsille. Nungaina marang kaina leiramba tunnel su ekhu khujinkhre. Chap chana leibak thamfam leiraktabagi mathakta, ceiling mathakta mapangal leiriba leipaksing gi arumba asi yambana ceiling asi soidana tektharklaga taraklagani haina kanna khannare. Matam asidadi Jail gi manungda eikhoigi mapandagi pisinlakpa, small armed revolver, grenade ama leirabani. New Jail gi room no 3 gi toilet ki faklangda leibaktagi feet 5 wangba wall gi brick khara sattoklaga lotlaga thambana combine team, (Army, CRPF, Manipur Police) na search lakpadasu detect touba ngamkhide. Search asi chengadaba numit nini gi mamangda pangthokkhi haina khalli.

Thintharagadi ceiling teklakpana maram oiraga eikhoigi tunnel gi thabaksing fail oirani. Aduna ngasimak chellasi haina kanna ngangnare. Matamsidadi eikhoigi tunnel asi 1st MR mongsonda faogatkadaba nattre. Mongsong yougadaba 30 ft muk watlamgani khalli. Chap chana tower sentry gi mathaktagi kaptharakliba flash light na taba mapa oirabani. Sentry na nongmeina kaplakpadasu, kaptharakpadasu chap chana nungairaba mafamda oirabani. 1st MR gi mongsong da faogatlaga eikhoi pumnamak escape tougani haibagi hope kaire. Soidana khangkharadi kaptharakpa sentry gi maruna polang sarani haibasu yaonarakle. Meeoi kharagi wakhalna mapandagi eikhoigi marupsingna cover fire pirakani aduna khara siba yaoragasu eikhoi chendaba yadre nattragadi escape ki plan asi totally fail oirani haibani. Kuina khannaba matam fangkhidre. Numidang oisillabani old Jail da Jail gi warder sing ka-kagi thong lonnaba matam oiraklabani.

Chengani khalliba eikhoida henna echang thouhallibasi mapanga manungga yamna toina e-pao faonaba ngambanasuni. Jail da leiramliba marupsinggi moral wangna leihannaba mapangi marupsing leader singgi achouba singthaba yaba thabak thouwongni khalli. Matamduda eikhoina chaona thabaksing paikhatli. Manungda Armed paire, mapandana cover fire pinanaba marupsing RF rifle ga loinana leire. Gari kaya amana eikhoi oknaba ngaiduna leire. Pumnamaksina chengadaba eikhoi pumnamakpu henna cheningbagi enot ama pikhi haina khalli.

Chenbada yaogadaba PLA Cadre sing, atoppa party gisu yaona list ama semdokle. Chenbada yaogada meeoising tunnel leiriba ka adugi manungda pumnamak leire. Chenbada mateng oinanabagidamak lupa chamma chamma (100) paihalli. List aduda mathang manao naina yaoriba maming mathadu amamamta kouduna chennanabagidmak tunnel manungda changhalle. Khwaigi mamang thangba duna mee surabara haina masing thiraknaba haiduna word passing ama pirakkhi. Tunnel manungda sem saduna leiraba meeoising sure haiba pao hankhibaga tunnel makhuldagi chenba houkhi. Armed paiba kangbuna Tunnel dagi hanna faogatlaga, karigumba mapanda (tunnel faogatfam mayada CRPF ki Petrol party thengnarabadi, makhoinasu cover kharadi pinaba haina khannei. Chellamdaida, cover fire pinaba khutlai paibasingna mang thahalle. Epa paraba leimai (tunnel gi) adu eikhoina khutna enkhatlaga ningkhaihallaga chongkhatlaga chenba hourakpa matung second taruk taret ki matung ahouba nomeigi makhol taba hourakkhi. Sentry na magi post tagi kaptharakpani aduga Nambulgi wangmadagisu eikhoigi hannana ngaiduna leiramlaba marupsingna sentry tamna kaplakpagi makhol kaya amana pumlang lang-e, pumnil nilli. Tunnel makhuldagi leptana chenthorakpa eikhoi pumnamaksi 1st MR gi mongsong tamna chensinnei. Marup amana MR gi Latrine lomdagi New Jail amasung power house anigi marakta leiba CRPF camp lomda grenade ama langsillaga pokkhaihankhi. Nambul turel youdringei da tingkhang tarana khaba sambal ama leirammi. Tingkhang tara adu namkhaiduna litlaga chatnanaba hotnabada tingkhang tarana nanggal amadi thunda thinduna sokpa yaokhi. Eikhoina Nambul turel lallaga turelgi angamba karakpada torbanduda leiba khongnang pambi amagi marumda eikhoibu ngairamba marupsingna Sentry tamna cover fire piramba ubada angakpa fangna nungaiba faokhi. Numit tuda eikhoi ni, eikhoigi natte khangdoknaba pass word sijinnei. Garida eikhoibu ngaibiramba marupsingna eikhoida onsillaga “kari ensangno” haina laorak-i. Eikhoina “hawai thongbani” haina khumlaga garida kakhatnei. Nambul mapanda eikhoibu ngaibiramba gari kayada tongkhatnaduna thuna yangna chenkhiba ngamhanbana eikhoigi Jail escape, Jail break asi achouba mai pakpa oihankhi.

11TH JANUARY 1982 da Imphal Central Jail dagi chenkhiba PLA Cadre tarataruk (16) amadi atoppa Party gi taruk (6) pu faba amadi pao piba ngambada sel gi mana oina pigani haina Manipur Government na laothokkhi. Laothokkhiba cherol asiga loinana chenbada yaokhiba meeoisinggi photo sing newspaper, bus ki maningda, mee yamna tinfam mafamsingda, wall da thettuna meeyamda khanghankhi.