Candlelight Vigil Held at JNIMS Mortuary

Imphal, 30 June: Family members of six Naga villagers and members of the JNIMS Relief Committee held a candlelight vigil at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences mortuary on Tuesday evening, marking 20 days since the bodies of the deceased were kept there while awaiting justice.

According to a statement issued by Chongtham Sana, Co-Convenor of the JNIMS Relief Committee, relatives of the deceased and villagers have been gathering at the JNIMS mortuary every evening since the bodies were brought there. They have been lighting candles and offering prayers for the departed souls.

The committee said the families have refused to claim the bodies or perform the last rites until those responsible for the killings are arrested and punished.

The deceased have been identified as Rev. Manu, P.R. Kenpibonu, Phenrongwibou, Delip, Kaliwangbou and Phenrilungbou.

The JNIMS Relief Committee said the six were among 18 persons taken away by armed Kuki militants from Leilon Vaiphei village on May 13. It further claimed that the six were subsequently killed and that their bodies were recovered on June 10.

Appealing to the authorities to expedite the investigation, the committee demanded the arrest and punishment of those allegedly involved in the killings. It also urged the government to ensure justice for the victims and their families.

The continued presence of the bereaved families at the mortuary reflects both grief and protest. For the relatives, the refusal to claim the bodies has become a demand for accountability and an assertion that the deaths must not be reduced to another unresolved incident in Manipur’s continuing cycle of violence.

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