Imphal: At least 87 Kuki-Zo tribals who lost their lives in the ongoing communal violence in Manipur were laid to rest in a mass burial ceremony on Wednesday.
The ritual, held at the Martyrs’ Cemetery near Sehken village in Churachandpur district, saw hundreds of mourners gather to pay their final respects.
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The Joint Philanthropic Organisation (JPO) organized the burial, honouring the wishes of the next of kin.
This comes after 19 Kuki-Zo more were laid to rest earlier in Kangpokpi District on December 16.
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The 87 bodies laid to rest today included 46 from Churachandpur District Hospital and 41 airlifted from hospitals in Imphal.
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This phase-wise burial was necessitated due to the bodies being scattered across various hospitals following the outbreak of violence on May 3rd, 2023.
The violence, triggered by a protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, has claimed the lives of around 200 people from both the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.