In a moving display of unity, grief, and pride, the town of Kangpokpi on Friday bid a tearful farewell to Lamnunthem Singson, the young Air India cabin crew member who lost her life in the recent Ahmedabad air crash.
Thousands gathered at her residence in Ngambom Veng, Ward No. 8, to pay their final respects to the 26-year-old, whose untimely death has left the community in mourning. The funeral, which began at 11:00 a.m., was attended by relatives, friends, civil society leaders, and representatives from across the Kuki-Zo community.
Lamnunthem was laid to rest with full honours at the Kangpokpi Town Cemetery. The ceremony was marked by emotional tributes, traditional rituals, and a collective outpouring of grief.
Among the dignitaries present were Kangpokpi MLA Nemcha Kipgen, SP Manoj Prabhakar, and officials of the 112 Battalion CRPF. In her emotional address, MLA Kipgen described Lamnunthem as “a symbol of hope and courage” for the entire community.
“Though Lamnunthem lived a short life, she elevated Kangpokpi to a widely identical name on the world map through her supreme sacrifice while serving the country,” Kipgen said, her voice trembling with emotion.
She further added, “Her loss is not just a family’s sorrow—it is our collective grief. To her mother and brothers—your pain is ours, and you are not alone.”
In a poignant moment, Kipgen wrapped a traditional shawl around Lamnunthem’s coffin—a final gesture of love and honour. Personnel from the 112 CRPF, who had earlier received her mortal remains at the airport, also draped her body in a traditional shawl and gave a ceremonial salute, drawing tears from the crowd.
Tributes poured in from leaders of various civil society organisations, the Haipi Baptist Church TBAI, Haipi Village Authority, and Ngambom Veng Ward Committee. Friends and well-wishers remembered Lamnunthem as a kind-hearted professional, a devoted Manchester United fan, and a beacon of inspiration for displaced communities.
The final rites were conducted at the town cemetery by Rev. Paominlen Kipgen. As her mother, brothers, and friends wept beside her grave, Kangpokpi witnessed one of its most heartbreaking moments in recent memory.
As the earth was gently laid over her resting place, the town didn’t just say goodbye to one of its own—it immortalised Lamnunthem Singson as a daughter of Kangpokpi who brought pride to her land, even in death.
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