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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4 workers die after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand's Dhanbad
Dhanbad (Jharkhand) (PTI): At least four workers died after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district on Saturday, a police official said.
The incident took place at Moonidih coal washery in the command area of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL).
"Bodies of all four workers were dug out of debris during a rescue operation," Putki police station in-charge Waqar Hussain told PTI.
The incident took place when coal slurry was being loaded into trucks by workers, during which a large chunk of slurry fell and trapped several workers underneath, officials said.
The deceased have been identified as Manik Bauri, Dinesh Bauri, Deepak Bauri, and Hemlal Gope.
Meanwhile, the family members of the deceased and local villagers placed the bodies in front of the washery gate and began a protest.
They demanded compensation, jobs for dependents and action against those responsible for the incident.
Police and administration officials are trying to pacify the protesters, an official said.
