Ely's husband was the sole civilian killed in the firing by Assam Rifles (File)
Ely, who is 5-month-pregnant, is ready to welcome her child sometime next year just a year into her marriage. But she has lost the most important person she needed by her side - her husband.
Ely's husband Leiong Konyak was the sole civilian killed in the firing by Assam Rifles' personnel in Nagaland's Mon town on Sunday when a mob attacked a camp of the paramilitary force, protesting a shoot-out in nearby Oting village which killed 13 people a day earlier in a botched counter-insurgency operation.
"The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (which gives the army powers of arrest and detention) must go. That is my demand," Ely told news agency PTI from her residence about 12 km from Mon town. The demand for the repealing of AFSPA has been made by almost every organisation in Nagaland - from the state government to rebel groups.
However, despite the anger, grief wells up as Ely adds, "I didn't even know that he was going there."
"It's been just a year this December since our marriage and I am already five months pregnant. I have to bring our child alone to this world now," she said.
Her brother-in-law, Chingkap, said Leiong had gone to Mon town with some other villagers after the Sunday Mass to see if there were any developments regarding the previous day's killings in Oting.
"We were informed by our neighbours of his death. He was shot on the back of his neck," Chingkap told the news agency.
"Our brother is the only victim outside Oting and we seem to have been forgotten that," he rued.
"We don't want money or our names in the media, but we want justice," he added.
A high school pass-out, 34-year-old Leiong was a daily wager and farmer, like most others in his village.
Chingkap further said the Assam Rifles have always maintained a friendly relation with the people and would even visit their villages.
"We are yet to understand what happened that day and why," he added, summing up the dilemma, grief and shock on the faces of villagers and family members assembled in their courtyard.