Imphal: The funeral of 12 Kuki-Zo men, including 10 who were killed during a gunfight with CRPF personnel in Jiribam, is set to take place in Churachandpur district, Manipur, on December 5. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) announced the event following an emergency meeting held on Saturday.
Previously, the ITLF had delayed the funeral until the post-mortem reports were provided to the families of the deceased. In a public notice, the forum stated that the reports were reviewed by forensic and legal experts and deemed satisfactory.
“Our 12 martyrs will be laid to rest with the greatest of honour and respect on December 5, 2024. The programme for condolences will take place at Peace Ground in Tuibuong,” the ITLF stated.
The funeral will also feature a massive silent rally to honor the deceased. A complete shutdown has been called in the area on the day of the funeral, with the ITLF urging students’ groups to prepare placards and banners for the rally.
Among the attendees will be Ginzalala, Adviser (Technical) to Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma and a ZPM MLA.
The post-mortem examinations were conducted at various locations, including Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) in Assam and Aizawl. While the ITLF identified the deceased as village volunteers, the Manipur government has maintained that they were militants.
The deceased were kept at a local hospital morgue in Churachandpur after being transported from Silchar. The ITLF has also vowed to continue pursuing legal cases related to the incident, seeking justice for what it calls “martyrs.”
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