Amid Manipur unrest, Air India crash victim Lamnunthem Singson's body avoids Imphal return
Kuki-Zo flight attendant’s family cites security concerns, opts for alternate route via Nagaland
funeral held in Kangpokpi
Imphal: Amid continuing ethnic tensions in Manipur, the family of Lamnunthem Singson, a Kuki-Zo flight attendant who died in the recent Ahmedabad-London Air India crash, chose not to bring her mortal remains to Imphal. According to The Wire, despite assurances from the Manipur government, Indian Army, and civil society group COCOMI, the family opted to transport her body through Dimapur in Nagaland and then drive 160 kilometers to their home in Kangpokpi district.
Singson was the sole breadwinner for her family and is survived by her mother Nemneilhing and three siblings—Gouneo, Lamnunthem, and Justin. Originally from Old Lambulane in Imphal, one of the oldest Kuki-majority neighborhoods in the city, the family was displaced by ethnic violence in May 2023.
The Wire quoted her cousin Henry, who said, “The irony is heartbreaking. Her grandfather, C.L. Singson, was a former IAS officer and chairman of the Manipur Public Service Commission. Her aunt also served in the IAS. Yet, the family had to flee and now avoids Imphal out of wisdom—not fear. The valley remains volatile.”
The Imphal airport, Manipur’s only airport, is located in the Meitei-majority valley, now largely inaccessible to displaced Kuki families. Though the central government announced helicopter services for Kuki residents in 2023, The Wire found no one has used the facility to date.
In a June 16 statement, COCOMI had appealed for public support in receiving the bodies of both flight attendants from Manipur—Singson and Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma (from the Meitei community). The Manipur Chief Secretary echoed this, saying the government had made arrangements to return the bodies “with full dignity and respect,” but would honor the families’ final wishes.
Still, mistrust prevails. As The Wire noted, in one of the most haunting incidents during the conflict, an ambulance carrying a child and caregivers was torched in May 2023. All inside were burned alive.
On June 19, the very day Singson’s body was scheduled to arrive in Imphal, fresh violence was reported. A Kuki woman, Hoikholhing, wife of the Langchingmanbi village chief, was killed. In another incident, a Meitei farmer was shot in Bishnupur district, prompting security forces to launch operations in surrounding areas.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
