Ukhrul: Yangmaso A Shishak, a Second World War veteran, from Ukhrul district has left for heavenly abode on Wednesday night after a prolonged illness. Unfortunately, he died without having to fulfil his last wish, said his family.
Popularly known as Awo Y Shishak, he was born on January 11, 1931 and died at the age of 93 on July 5, 2023, survived by his wife, son and four daughters.
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On Thursday, the WWII veteran was buried at his Shangshak village in Ukhrul district, Manipur.
According to his family member, he was among the few living witnesses of the WWII from the Tangkhul community. Shishak, then a student, witnessed the Battle of Shangshak in 1944 in Ukhrul district.
While interacting to media persons at Shangshak War Memorial, Ngazekmi A Shishak, headman, Shangshak village, said that his uncle Y Shishak kept the Indian National Army (INA) flag for the last 30 years. However, the commanding officer Colonel Tejas of 24 Assam Rifles at Shangshak village took away the flag for official purpose, while he promised to return it in three days.
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“The commanding officer sent his adjutant and took the INA flag on November 2022 in my presence. But it never returned back to my uncle despite many requests,” said the village headman.
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The village headman also informed that each year on March 26, Shangshak Battle Day has been observed to honour and respect the bravehearts of the battle of Shangshak.
The war veteran’s son Shaingam recalled that his father took so much of pride and valued the INA flag which was initially hoisted at Harva Khangai Khorung in Khangkhui village in 1940s. He was then a student and had been a runner carrying letters from camp to camp for the British. Later, he ran errands for the Japanese army after the British retreated.
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“I was not home when the CO of 24 Assam Rifles came and took the INA flag for an official work on the pretext of returning in three days time,” said Shaingam.
Despite his poor health due to old age, my father continued to urge the concerned authorities for help but he died without having to fulfilled his last wish, lamented Shaingam.
The Shangshak War Memorial just next to Shishak’s residence was constructed in 2002 by Assam Rifles in memory of the fallen heroes of the Battle of Shangshak 1944.
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