New Delhi: For the family of Lamnunthem Singson, a 26-year-old Air India employee killed in the Ahmedabad plane crash, the first battle is to identify her charred body—and then to bring it home safely even if it doesn’t mean quickly. Singson’s cousin, N Kipgen, who is currently in Ahmedabad, said that the family doesn’t want her body to travel through Imphal and is willing to take the longer route via Dimapur.
“We do not want to politicise my sister’s remains. We requested the authorities to take the Dimapur route because our extended family is there. Secondly, it is not safe for us to travel via Imphal under any circumstances,” Kipgen told ThePrint over the phone.
“We are patiently waiting for the DNA results. We do not know how long we have to wait, but we do not want to be a spectacle,” Kipgen added.
Singson’s mother Heni also said they want her daughter to be brought home from Dimapur—and not via Imphal.
The family’s fears are rooted in a Meitei organisation calling for the return of the mortal remains of two Manipur women killed in the crash via Imphal.
“COCOMI appeals to all sections of society, including civil society organisations, local clubs, youth bodies, and the general public, to extend full cooperation and support in receiving the mortal remains at Imphal Airport and ensuring their dignified return to their respective families for final rites,” a statement issued by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) said.
“If willing, the families may come forward to receive their daughters at the airport without hesitation,” the statement added.
However, Kuki groups view this as a way to politicise the death of Singson and are against any move by the Meitei organisation to score political points.
“COCOMI’s gesture is great, but they want to come across as peacemakers. Realistically, it is not possible for any Kuki to travel to Imphal as no one has been able to go there since the conflict began in May 2023,” said Ginza Vualzong, spokesperson of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum in Churachandpur.
Singson’s family, living in Kangpokpi after the displacement of Kuki-Zo-Hmar from Imphal during the conflict, wants the administration to deliver her body to them at the Dimapur airport in Nagaland instead of Imphal. From Dimapur, the family would take the body home to Kangpokpi, which would mean another five to six hours of journey.
Singson joined Air India three years ago, before her family was displaced. She and another Manipur resident, Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma—a Meitei who was also part of the crew on board Air India flight AI-171—were among the 241 people killed in the crash near Ahmedabad airport on 12 June. The ongoing DNA tests are expected to provide results by 19 June.
(Edited by Prashant)