Civil society groups recover body of Radhakrishnan Foundation student from Tuitha River; flash floods claim young life as community unites in grief
By Kimbawinu Vaiphei, Kukiland Express
Songpi, June 14, 2026: The quiet hills of Churachandpur fell into deep mourning on Sunday morning as the body of Lamboikim, a Class 8 student of Radhakrishnan Foundation School, was finally recovered from the Tuitha River. The young schoolgirl had been swept away by powerful flash floodwaters on Thursday in Tuibong while returning home from school, triggering a desperate, round-the-clock search that gripped the entire district. After three agonizing days, hope turned to heartbreak when volunteers located her remains near the Khengjang power substation area.
According to local reports, Lamboikim was caught in the sudden, strong current generated by incessant rainfall that lashed the region last week. The Tuitha River, also known as the Khuga, swelled dangerously within hours, turning familiar routes into death traps for residents. She had been missing since Thursday afternoon, and her disappearance mobilized an immediate large-scale search effort along the riverbanks, with families, classmates, and neighbors refusing to give up through heavy rain and fading light.
The intensive recovery operation was spearheaded by the Kuki Khanglai Lawpi (KKL), a philanthropic organization, working in close coordination with the Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) Churachandpur, local youth clubs, and the Hmar Youth Association. Volunteers combed through mud, debris, and treacherous currents for 72 hours straight. On Sunday, the search team found her body trapped in mud and floating in the river near the Khengjang power substation, bringing the exhaustive operation to a somber close. Their collective effort reflected a community unwilling to let one of its own remain lost.
Lamboikim, 13, a Class 8 student of Radhakrishnan Foundation School, Churachandpur. She lost her life after being swept away by flash floods in Tuibong on Thursday while returning home from school.
The tragic loss of such a young life has sent shockwaves across Manipur, reigniting urgent conversations about monsoon preparedness and student safety during flash flood season. For the residents of Tuibong and Churachandpur, Lamboikim was more than a statistic. She was a daughter, a classmate, and a bright student whose life was cut short on her way home from school. The incident underscores the vulnerability of hill communities to sudden weather events and the heavy price families pay when infrastructure and early warning systems fall short.
As Churachandpur prepares for her last rites, tributes are pouring in from schools, churches, and civil society groups across the district. The organizations that led the search have vowed to continue supporting the bereaved family, while locals are calling for better flood mitigation measures to prevent future tragedies. The heartbreaking incident stands as a painful reminder of nature’s force and the unbreakable spirit of a community that searches together, grieves together, and demands safety for its children.
