Silver medallist Bindyarani’s parents unreachable

Pic/PTI

From faraway Korea, Indian weightlifter Bindyarani Devi on Saturday wondered if the news of her silver medal-winning effort at the Asian Championship had reached her parents, in violence-hit Manipur.

More importantly, she was thinking if they were safe, for she hasn't been able to speak with them for the past two days owing to the internet shutdown arising out of the ethnic violence in her native state, rendering the people there incommunicado.

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When contacted in Jinju, the place where she put aside all her concerns related to the conflict to stand on the podium while representing her country, the 24-year-old athlete broke down on the phone. "I haven't been able to speak to my parents for the past two days," a sobbing Bindyarani said a couple of hours after her win.

"Har competition ke pehle mumma mujhe call karke ashrivaad deti hain par aaj aisa nahi hua (My mother blesses me before all my competitions. But today, I couldn't speak to her)," she added. The conflict has killed scores of people, injured so many more, and prompted a shoot at sight order.

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