All 28 unclaimed bodies cremated

The cremation of 28 unclaimed bodies of people who died in the triple train accident in Odisha’s Balasore district four months ago, was completed on Wednesday by women volunteers at Bhubaneswar.

The process of cremation began on Tuesday evening and was completed at about 8 am on Wednesday, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Mayor Sulochana Das said.

She said women volunteers actively participated in the funeral.

The bodies had been kept in refrigerated containers for over four months provide security to the bodies during transportation,” Kipgen said.

He said unidentified bodies should not be disposed of “hastily” and a mechanism should be found out for their identification.

Meiteis have already claimed the bodies of the community members that were in the mortuaries of two government hospitals in Imphal and performed last rites.

More than 180 people were killed since the violence erupted on May 3 after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the hill districts.