Late Mapuienla Longkumer
Limasenla Jamir
Mokokchung | June 12
“My daughter and I would talk over the phone at least three to four times a day. We talked about her exams casually in the morning on the day she died, and that was the last time I heard my daughter's voice,” Mapuienla Longkumer’s mother narrated as she sat in her kitchen at Ungma village surrounded by family and relatives, two weeks after they buried her daughter at the village cemetery.
On May 25, 2022, while returning from college, Mapuienla, student of St Joseph University was hit by a car in a suspected hit-and-run case at Chümoukedima. She succumbed in hospital early the next morning.
She would normally call her mother after her exams at around 3:30 pm. On that fateful day, it was not to be. It was one of her friends, who made the call to relay the tragic news.
Her mother and family rushed to Dimapur from Ungma village, about 207 kms away, the moment they heard of the accident. Seeing her daughter fighting for her life in the ICU, all she could do was pray that her daughter will make it through all of it but she couldn’t. The next few hours and days passed in a blur of disbelief, people and flowers.
“I have nothing but praise for Mapuienla, my daughter. Only God and my daughter know how she was as a human being, but for me, my daughter was a God-fearing woman who never let me scold her. She was a hardworking woman- a wonderful daughter, friend, and a sister and I believe my daughter is in heaven now,” the mother said, holding back her tears.
“She aspired to be a counsellor and wanted to work with orphans. Mother Teresa's charitable efforts had always inspired her. She chose psychology and counselling as a major, and as a psychology and counselling student, she would spend time at the railway gate (station) with the children as part of her practical sessions,” the mother narrated.
“My daughter once told me that if she became a counsellor, she would even be able to restore broken marriages and relationships. She would say, ‘I'm going to be an extraordinary counsellor.’ Words can't explain the anguish and loss we're feeling. I still can't believe my daughter is no longer with us. I had no idea that the last time I heard her voice on the phone would be the last time I would hear it,” she expressed.
Mapuienla has two younger sisters. One of her sisters expressed that forgetting and swallowing what has occurred has been the most difficult. “Dreaming about her has been the happiest moment because that is the only time we see her,” she said.
She further went on and said “the saddest irony is that we were unable to save even a sliver of her memory because everything was burned to ashes, and her name was cursed and forgotten in accordance with our society's tradition.”
“I fear the impact on the people especially my daughter’s friends who saw the accident will be massive; they are having issues and they might probably have it for a very long time. Today, the tragic accident happened to my daughter. Tomorrow it may happen to your daughter. The way to the truth shouldn’t be left halfway. We need to seek the truth,” said Mapuienla’s mother.
"It's been weeks since the tragedy, and we still haven't heard anything from the police about the person who killed my daughter." If we do not pursue the truth, we will continue to sink further into lies and corruption. We have no intention of punishing or harming the perpetrator; instead, we want the perpetrator to be arrested so that justice can be served. Why would we refuse to forgive if the perpetrator comes forward? If justice is delivered to my family, I believe it will be justice delivered to the Aos, to the Nagas,” she added later.
Family, Friends, relatives and the many student organisations seeks justice for Mapuienla - the God-fearing-dedicated daughter and loving friend, who should still be here- living.
