Manipur Tribal Leader Valte Laid to Rest After 134 Days

Manipur BJP MLA Vungzagin Valte was buried in Churachandpur district on Tuesday, 134 days after he died from injuries sustained in last year's ethnic violence. Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh attended the funeral, his first visit to the district since the unrest began in May 2023.

Valte, a three-time legislator representing the tribal-majority Churachandpur constituency, was attacked in Imphal in late 2023. He was airlifted to a Delhi hospital for treatment and died there in February 2024. His body was kept in a mortuary for months amid procedural delays and security concerns in the violence-hit state.

The funeral came after weeks of negotiations between state authorities and tribal groups over the burial site and security arrangements. Singh's presence was seen as an effort to signal reconciliation, though the broader conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities continues to disrupt daily life in the valley districts.

More than 200 people have died in the ethnic clashes since May 2023, with tens of thousands displaced. No timeline has been announced for the return of displaced families to their homes in the affected areas.