Imphal, Aug. 17: Arambam Robita Leima, who had vowed to step into rights crusader Irom Sharmila's shoes with an indefinite hunger strike, is said to have called it off within a couple of days, apparently succumbing to family pressure.

Robita, 32 and a mother of two, had begun her hunger strike against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act at 3.30am on August 13 in the office of an Imphal-based women's organisation. In the afternoon, she shifted to her office at Canchipur in Imphal West district and from there went to her locality, Kongba in Imphal East, to sit on fast. However, she did not turn up at the proposed fasting venue and went into hiding after police personnel swarmed the place.

The next morning she surfaced 83km away in Ukhrul town, the headquarters of neighbouring Ukhrul district, and met social activists there. That evening, her mother and other family members took her home to Yairipok in Thoubal district. It is, however, not clear when Robita broke the fast. Sources said it could be the same night her family took her home or the next day, August 15. All attempts to contact her have proved futile.

Before beginning her fast, Robita had said she took the decision as many people were allegedly disappointed when Sharmila broke her hunger strike.

Sharmila had begun her hunger strike to press for repeal of AFSPA after Assam Rifles troops shot dead 10 civilians at a bus stand near Imphal airport in November 2000 in retaliation to a militant attack. She broke the fast on August 9, saying she would change her strategy as the 16-year-long fast had failed to move the government.

Robita sat on hunger strike four days after Sharmila broke hers. Robita's family, including her husband Konthoujam Hira, and co-workers were, however, against it. "We had told her not to launch the hunger strike but she rejected our appeals. We have heard that her family has finally persuaded her and she is not continuing with her fast. I have not been able to contact her since," one of her associates said.

Robita, who did not complete her graduation, heads the Organisation for Indian Women Against Crime and edits a monthly magazine, Women and Crimes.