Air India tragedy: Body of Kuki cabin crew member reaches Manipur's Kangpokpi

The mortal remains of Air India cabin crew Lamnunthem Singson, who died in the Ahmedabad plane crash on 12 June, reached her hometown in Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Thursday night, 19 June, after being flown to Dimapur airport in Nagaland.

The 26-year-old was among the 241 passengers and crew aboard Air India's flight AI-171, which crashed just seconds after takeoff.

Her body was flown from Ahmedabad to Dimapur on an IndiGo flight and received by family members, community representatives and officials at the airport.

On the way from Dimapur to Kangpokpi by road, the convoy halted for a few minutes in the Nagaland capital to allow the Kuki Union Kohima and Kuki mothers to bid her farewell and pay tribute to the departed soul, a cousin of Singson told PTI.

"Normally we (the Kuki people) don't hold last rites at the night. Most likely it will be held tomorrow. Today, there will be prayer sessions and other traditional funeral related programmes," he said.

But why the detour via Nagaland?

Earlier in the day, a solemn programme was held at Dimapur airport to receive the mortal remains of Singson.

On the occasion, floral tributes were paid by officials and representatives from several organisations, including the Kuki Community Dimapur, Kuki Students’ Union Nagaland, Naga Council Dimapur, Dimapur District Citizens Forum, Zeliang Youth Organisation Dimapur, Chumoukedima Kuki Union, and the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee.

The groups offered condolences to the bereaved family and paid their last respects to the departed soul.

Meanwhile, the Kerala Congress handle pointed out on X that while the mortal remains of the other killed crew member from Manipur, , were already received by the family in Imphal and cremated, her compatriot suffered a different fate.

The Congress highlighted a news clipping that suggests Singson's body couldn't come home via Imphal due to the ethnic tussle, since the state capital is considered a Meitei-dominated cultural space where Kuki-Zo are not welcome.

Originally from Old Lambulane colony in Imphal, Singson’s family relocated to Kangpokpi in 2023 following the outbreak of ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities in the state.

The cabin crew member from Manipur was Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma, who belonged to the Meitei community and also died in the same disaster.

With PTI inputs

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