Air India Crash : Ethnic Tensions Cloud Kuki Air Hostess’s Funeral Plans

The tragic loss of two Manipur air hostesses in the Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad has cast a somber shadow over their home state, where ethnic divisions are complicating funeral arrangements. Lamnunthiem Singson, a Kuki-Zo, and Nganthoi K Sharma, a Meitei, were among the 241 passengers and crew killed in the disaster. Their deaths have briefly united Manipur’s feuding communities in grief, but logistical challenges rooted in ongoing ethnic strife are creating uncertainty, particularly for Singson’s family.

Since May 2023, Manipur has been gripped by ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, resulting in 260 deaths, the displacement of 50,000 people, and the imposition of President’s Rule after the removal of the state’s chief minister. This conflict has forced Kuki-Zos, including Singson’s family, to flee the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley for safer hill districts like Kangpokpi. Conversely, Meiteis have left Kuki-Zo areas, creating a stark geographic divide that now affects the repatriation of Singson’s remains.

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a Meitei organization, has called for peaceful cooperation to ensure the dignified return of both women’s remains through Imphal airport. Sandesh Kumar Sharma, father of Nganthoi, told that he supports this gesture, noting no objections to Singson’s body being transported via Imphal if identified. However, Kuki-Zo leaders are skeptical. Ginza Vualzong, spokesperson for the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF), told that traveling through Imphal poses significant risks for Kuki-Zos due to the ongoing conflict. Singson’s family, now residing in Kangpokpi, prefers to receive her remains at Dimapur airport in Nagaland to avoid Meitei-controlled areas.

The Air India crash, which occurred on June 12 in Ahmedabad’s Meghani Nagar, killed 270 people, including 29 on the ground. The slow pace of DNA identification has added to the anguish of families, with only a fraction of victims identified days after the tragedy. Both Singson and Sharma’s families are in Ahmedabad, awaiting confirmation of their loved ones’ remains through DNA testing. The Kuki Students’ Organisation in Delhi has announced a candlelight march to honor all victims, emphasizing support for Singson’s family, who lost their sole breadwinner.

Despite the shared sorrow, Kuki-Zo groups view COCOMI’s offer with caution, suspecting it may be a symbolic gesture rather than a practical solution. The ethnic divide, which has restricted movement between communities since the conflict’s onset, continues to shape the mourning process, leaving Singson’s funeral arrangements uncertain as her family navigates both grief and safety concerns.