Woman's body waiting for burial for the last 12 days in Manipur

Leingangching and Litan are both inhabited by the Tangkhuls, a community of Nagas dominant in the Ukhrul district.

A Baptist Christian-dominated village in Manipur has denied burial for 42-year-old woman in her native village for the last 12 days on the grounds that she was converted to Catholic Christianity.

Rita Haorei died on August 7 and her body has been lying since in a Catholic Church in Ukhrul district's Litan village. The village had excommunicated her family seven years ago for allegedly becoming a Catholic Christian, reports Hindustan Times.

The issue has become even complicated because her husband Yangmi Haorei, who lives in Litan, has refused to bury her anywhere else other than his native village Leingangching. Leingangching and Litan are both inhabited by the Tangkhuls, a community of Nagas dominant in the Ukhrul district.

To resolve the stalemate, a joint action committee (JAC) of Catholics went on a rally in Imphal demanding the woman's burial. The issue has reached Manipur Chief Minister N Biren's office. In a memorandum submitted to the CM the JAC requested for the burial of Rita under security.

The committee also demanded the abolition of an unwritten rural law - that of 'One Village, One Denomination' - as "it is inhuman and violates basic fundamental rights".

OneIndia News