A student of Little Flower School recites a verse in memory of Lungnila Elizabeth during her funeral at the Don Bosco School ground in Imphal on Thursday. Picture by UB Photos

Imphal, Nov. 13: Her father spoke of forgiveness, but the congregation at the funeral of Lungnila Elizabeth was in anything but a forgiving mood.

Though no violence was reported in the wake of the abducted seven-year-old girl’s body being found in a swamp yesterday, there was no mistaking the tension in the air as people trooped into the Don Bosco School ground in Chingmeirong for the funeral service.

The victim’s father, general administration and taxation minister Francis Ngajokpa, tried to calm the gathering by saying he was drawing consolation from the fact that his daughter’s death had united the people in grief.

Thanking everybody for standing by his family throughout the crisis, he said: “We should forgive and forget one another’s mistakes. My daughter’s death has united us in grief. Let this unity remain.”

The minister requested all organisations not to announce any bandh or blockade in protest against the abduction and killing of Elizabeth.

Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, his colleagues in the ministry, students, teachers and representatives of all communities attended the funeral service. The indefinite curfew in Greater Imphal was not officially eased, but the administration made an exception for the funeral procession from Ngajokpa’s residence to the cemetery.

Elizabeth’s body, stuffed into a gunny bag that also contained her textbooks and tiffin box, was found at Sadokpam village, not far from the school where she used to study.

Ngajokpa’s third child had been abducted on November 4 while she was coming out of Imphal’s Little Flower School. Unofficial sources said the girl’s captors killed her despite receiving Rs 5 lakh from her family. The group, whose identity has not been ascertained, took a second instalment of Rs 5 lakh on Tuesday.

Several organisations have accused the government of not doing enough to rescue Elizabeth. Anticipating trouble after the body was found, the Ibobi Singh ministry clamped indefinite curfew from 2.30pm yesterday. The police said three persons had been detained on suspicion of links with the abductors. Their identities were, however, not disclosed.

Elizabeth’s body was laid to rest at the Chingmeirong cemetery, on the outskirts of the capital town.