Manipur crisis victims corpse taken to respective districts

Imphal: Corpses of those who died during the Meitei-Kuki conflict in Manipur were flown to respective districts of Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Imphal from the mortuaries of hospitals in Churachandpur and two Imphal districts on Thursday.

The corpses of both the Meitei and Kuki communities were lifted by helicopter amid tight security arrangements.

The bodies were of those who were killed in the the violence that broke out on May 3 were lying in Churachandpur, JNIMS and RIMS mortuaries.

The arrangement was made after proper identification.

According to the government official, a total of 19 bodies were airlifted in two round trips at Motbung in Kangpokpi and later the bodies were handed over to members of Committee on Tribal Unity representing the deceased families.

Forty-one bodies were airlifted and reached 36 sector Assam Rifles helipad in Churachandpur district in four trips.

A mass burial for those 19 bodies of Kangpokpi is scheduled to be held at Phaijang village, about 20 km distance from Kangpokpi district headquarters, on December 15.

For Churachandpur mass burial for 61 bodies to be held at a site near Tribal Martyres Park, Churachandpur, after completing clearance of the area.

Four bodies of Meitei community were airlifted from Churachandpur morgue, their last rites will performed by their families.

The bodies which had been lying in the morgues for several months were moved as per directions of the Supreme Court.

The apex court directed Manipur government to make proper arrangement for the dignified burial of people who lost their lives in the violence.

The bench comprising CJI DY Chandrachud and justice JB Pardiwala and justice Manoj Misra ordered direction based on a report prepared by the committee led by justice Gita Mital.

A committee formed by the Supreme Court on August 7, apprised that there were 175 bodies without burials in the state.

Of these, 169 were identified bodies, 81 were claimed by the relatives, 88 were unclaimed and the remaining six bodies remained unidentified in mortuaries.