Churachandpur, May 2 -- Tens of thousands of people in Manipur will be out on the streets this Saturday, marking their protest on the second anniversary of the violence that has torn the state apart and killed 260 people. Security will be on high alert, nearly 8,000 security personnel will be patrolling the streets, and leaders will be addressing rallies. But two Kuki families will be away from the crowds, spending the day at small rented homes in Churachandpur town. They once lived in their own houses in Kangpokpi district, from where a mob pulled them out on May 4, 2023, killed two male members, stripped the two Kuki women naked, gang raped them, and paraded them naked - their plight caught on video becoming the emblem of the horrors that roiled Manipur. "Our case is such that we don't come out in the open. My wife and the other young woman were paraded naked and violated while the mob recorded videos and later circulated it on social media. We want to forget everything, but this is a trauma that won't heal quickly," said the husband of one of the two victims, a 45-year-old woman. The other victim was 22. In the last two years, the two families have changed houses at least four times, trying to live in places where they are not easily identified. "But this is difficult. Until last year, my wife was suicidal. I cannot explain how I managed to convince her that it was not her fault, and how we needed to be strong. The younger woman became a recluse. She would not step outside her house and refused to talk to any unknown man. Even today she does not speak to outsiders," said the 45-year-old's husband. He said a few months ago, the Assam Rifles (AR) helped the family get in touch with a top psychologist from Guwahati for counselling. Once every week or fortnight, the two women visit the Sector 27 Assam Rifles office in Churachandpur town for a virtual counselling session with the psychologist, said people aware of developments. Unlike others, whose cars are not allowed inside the high security campus, the women - who come with their faces covered by shawls - drive inside and directly enter the room with video conferencing facilities, said the elder woman's husband.There are no questions asked at the gate. "The counselling session is helpful. Our community leaders are protecting us. We also speak to our pastor at the church. It is a work in progress," said the man, a 65-year-old retired junior commissioned officer (JCO) who served in Jammu & Kashmir during the Kargil War. A Kuki-Zo community youth leader, who has been given the charge to look after the two families, said, "They are not from Churachandpur but their case is such that people have seen the viral videos. This is why they have to change homes. Whenever they say they are uncomfortable, we immediately shift them to a new place. They had also shifted here during the peak of the violence. There is no normalcy in Manipur. The women are yet to come to terms with their new life here." Despite the community leaders' attempts to get the women to meet new people and spend their time outside, the two women have expressed their inability to go out and meet people, said the Kuki-Zo community youth leader. "My wife has trouble sleeping but she is slightly better. But the younger woman has developed anxiety issues. The incident has affected her psychologically. We may never feel what she is going through but we know what has caused it. But still things are slightly better now. If the administration can help them find suitable jobs, it would be of great help not just financially but psychologically too. This will also help in the healing process ," the elder woman's husband said....