Maksam Tayeng

DAMBUK, Dec 11: On the occasion of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav  commemorating the 75th Year of India’s Independence, Lok Sabha MP  Tapir Gao on Saturday unveiled Jotem-Joran War Memorial erected by the Modi Welfare Society in memory of Anglo-Abor war heroes of 1894 -- Jotem Modi and Oram Modi, at Yapgo village of Dambuk Sub-Division in Lower Dibang Valley.
Also present was Dambuk MLA, Gum Tayeng, Dy. Commissioner Lower Dibang Valley, Soumya Saurabh, Tony Borang, ZPC Lower Dibang Valley, Modi Welfare Society President, Dr. Milorai Modi, Organizing President, Nanokong Modi, Committee Engineer, Leksar Modi and other officials and public leaders.
The war memorial at 'Bongal Yapgo' which is located along National Highway-52, has a huge significance as it was here that the freedom fighters from Adi community fought against the British forces on 21st January 1894. On 14th January 1894, the British punitive expeditionary forces attacked and burned down the village of Bomjir and advanced towards Dambuk. 
Jotem Modi being an active member of the village participated wholeheartedly in the preparation for the impending war along with the villagers. As per the oral history, middle brother Jomat Modi was advised by his parents not to actively participate in the war at the front and was to look after his old parents, household & other domestic properties fearing losing all three sons in the battle. So, the middle son was prevented from going in the stockade area and had to hide in the jungle along with old parents important domestic properties while eldest and youngest were allowed to participate. 
During the first day of attack on 20th January 1894, Jotem Modi at the forefront of the battle was injured in his right leg by shell fire & was shifted under a big tree name "LOKNE" situated nearby jungle where all the injured were rested taken care of. He had to take rest there for a while as he was bleeding profusely and later lost consciousness. He lay there for more than three days and was somehow left unhurt by the invading army probably assuming him dead.
The youngest brother Joran Modi too participated in the village resistance group, and was killed by bullet shots on the 2nd day of the shellfire unleashed upon the villagers. Along with Jomat Modi the elder brother Jotem Modi survived the war miraculously with grievous injury sustained in one of his legs and could walk somehow in a crippled manner, returned to village after the invading soldiers had left towards Silluk. However, injuries made during the war were not healed under such circumstances, Jotem Modi died after a few months.
After the defeat of resisting Abors at Dambuk, the British invading forces moved further towards Silluk, Mebo and beyond. However, they failed to reach the major Padam village of Damroh during their expedition to punish the Abors in 1894 during the Anglo-Abor war.
Tapir Gao, MP and Dambuk MLA, Gum Tayeng and ZPC Tony Borang spoke at length about the role of Adis (Abors) in the Anglo-Abor war against the Britishers. Gao exuded hope that the war heroes from the state of Arunachal Pradesh will get the due recognition of freedom fighter under the Modi government which is giving due credit to all those who fought for India’s independence.

---

Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

<< Back to News List