Naga Village Guard volunteer Lanbimei Riamei was laid to rest in Longmai after the Noney gunfight, while JTC lifted its shutdown but the UNC economic blockade continues.
Imphal, July 31: The final rites of Naga Village Guard (NVG) volunteer Lanbimei Riamei, who was killed during a gunfight between CRPF CoBRA commandos and village volunteers in Manipur's Noney district, were held on Thursday amid a large gathering of community members, civil society organisations and village volunteers.
The burial took place a day after the July 29 exchange of fire near Biteng Hani in Bitiang (Laphok) village under Noney district, an incident that also left two CRPF CoBRA personnel injured and triggered widespread protests and a shutdown across several Naga-inhabited areas.
According to local sources, a ceremony to pay final respects to the deceased was organised at the conference hall of a church in Longmai-III. The programme was attended by local residents, leaders of various civil society organisations, student bodies and members of the Naga Village Guard.
Traditional funeral rituals were performed before the mortal remains of Lanbimei Riamei, son of Kadirang Riamei of Longmai Noney Bazar, were taken in a funeral procession to the Longmai-III Cemetery, where he was laid to rest.
The funeral was led largely by Naga Village Guard members, who described the deceased as one of the volunteers deployed to protect villages amid the prevailing security situation in the region.
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The gunfight occurred early Wednesday morning when a combined team of the CRPF and the 207 CoBRA Battalion carried out a security operation near Bitiang village. According to official sources, the operation was launched based on intelligence regarding an alleged unauthorised training camp operated by the Naga Village Guard.
Officials said the operation escalated into an exchange of fire after armed village volunteers allegedly opened fire on the approaching security personnel.
The incident resulted in the death of Lanbimei Riamei, while three other Naga Village Guard members sustained bullet injuries. Two CoBRA personnel—Head Constable Radheshyam and Constable Jitendra Kumar—also suffered injuries during the exchange and were evacuated to Imphal for treatment.
Meanwhile, the Working Committee of the Joint Tribes Council, Manipur (WC-JTCM) announced that the emergency total shutdown imposed on July 29 has been lifted with immediate effect.
In a public notification issued on Thursday, the committee stated that the shutdown had been called to protest the killing of the Naga Village Guard member at Bitiang village.
However, the organisation clarified that the economic blockade announced by the United Naga Council (UNC) would continue across Inpui, Liangmai, Rongmei and Zeme areas until further notice.
The WC-JTCM stated that the decision to end the shutdown was taken after considering the inconvenience caused to the public but maintained that its demand for justice remained unchanged.
The committee alleged that the governments of Manipur and India had failed to make meaningful progress in investigating the killing of six Naga civilians earlier this year. It claimed that despite repeated appeals by Naga organisations, the perpetrators had neither been identified nor prosecuted.
According to the committee, the continued delay in the investigation has deepened the anguish of the affected families and strengthened demands for accountability.
The organisation warned that if authorities continue to remain inactive, the ongoing economic blockade could be intensified and another total shutdown may be imposed in the future.
The WC-JTCM also reiterated its demand for an impartial investigation, prosecution of those responsible for the killing of the six civilians, and adequate compensation for the bereaved families.
At the same time, the committee expressed regret for the inconvenience caused by the shutdown and thanked its area coordination committees and supporters for enforcing the protest.
The burial of Lanbimei Riamei comes as security remains heightened in parts of Noney district following the encounter. Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the exchange of fire, while additional security personnel remain deployed in sensitive locations to prevent further escalation.
The incident has drawn strong reactions from several Naga organisations over the past two days, many of which have questioned the conduct of the security operation and demanded an independent inquiry into the encounter.
Authorities have yet to issue any fresh statement regarding the allegations made by various organisations, while the investigation into the July 29 gunfight remains underway.
