Manipur: Kuki-Zo community bids farewell to Lalgouthang Singsit, day after claiming body

Residents of Keithelmanbi, Manipur paid their last respects to Lalgouthang Singsit, who died during a clash with security personnel in Kangpokpi on March 8 over 'free movement' directive by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah. 


Singsit's body remained at the District Hospital Morgue for five days as the community refused to claim it, demanding the cancellation of the Free Movement policy and a 'judicial inquiry' into the Kangpokpi Superintendent of Police, along with his transfer. 

Following a joint meeting on March 12, community leaders decided to bring his body home. A large gathering, including Local MLA Nemcha Kipgen, representatives from the Kuki-Zo Council, CoTU, Kuki Inpi, Thadou Inpi, and other tribal organizations, attended the funeral at his Keithelmanbi residence.

A coffin rally was held as mourners carried Singsit’s body through the streets to the Martyrs' Cemetery in Phaijang. Hymns and prayers marked the procession as the community paid tribute. Village Volunteers performed a gun salute before laying him to rest.

Discussions on the ongoing total shutdown in Kuki-Zo areas took place during a late-night meeting of the Kuki-Zo Council at Kangpokpi District Headquarters.


It needs mention here, one succumbed to injuries while sixteen others were injured after protesters clashed with security personnel in Manipur's Kangpokpi, opposing Union Home Minister Amit Shah's free movement directive. 

In an effort to restore normalcy and ease public inconveniences, the Manipur State Government initiated state-run bus services under security escort from March 8, 2025, as per its decision on March 7. Under this initiative, a Manipur State Transport (MST) bus and several other vehicles, including four LPG trucks and three oil tankers, successfully operated along the Imphal-Bishnupur-Churachandpur and Churachandpur-Bishnupur-Imphal routes without any public obstruction.

However, tensions escalated when the MST bus traveling along the Imphal-Kangpokpi-Senapati route faced violent resistance. At Gamgiphai in Kangpokpi District, a large mob began pelting stones at the bus. Security forces responded with tear gas and minimal force to disperse the crowd.


In addition to stone-pelting, protesters set up roadblocks at multiple locations along the National Highway, using felled trees, large stones, burning tires, and other obstructions to hinder the movement of buses and security personnel. The situation intensified as armed miscreants within the protestors opened fire at the security forces, prompting retaliation.

Amidst the violence, 27 security personnel sustained injuries, including two critically wounded officers. The security forces exercised maximum restraint while dealing with the aggressive mob, using only minimal force to disperse the violent protesters and counteract the armed attacks.