Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh arrived in Churachandpur by helicopter on July 4 to attend the funeral of former MLA Vungzagin Valte, despite a boycott call by several civil society organisations and a shutdown observed in the district ahead of his visit.
According to official and local sources, the Chief Minister flew from Imphal and visited Valte’s residence in Dorcas Veng, where the final rites of the former legislator were conducted.
The visit came against the backdrop of heightened tension across Churachandpur, where several organisations had opposed the Chief Minister’s arrival. On Saturday morning, Kuki protesters assembled in different parts of the district, markets remained closed, and traffic was minimal in the district headquarters. Reports also indicated that demonstrators attempted to obstruct movement along the Imphal–Churachandpur road.
Vungzagin Valte, a three-time legislator, sustained critical injuries in an alleged mob assault on May 4, 2023, during the early days of the ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur. After undergoing prolonged treatment, he died on February 20, 2026, at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. His funeral was held more than four months after his death.
Valte began his legislative career after being elected to the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly in 2012 as a candidate of the Indian National Congress. He later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), won re-election in 2017, and served as Minister for Tribal Affairs and Hills, General Administration, and Transport. He successfully retained the Churachandpur Assembly seat in the 2022 elections.
Security arrangements were intensified during the Chief Minister’s visit, and no major untoward incident was reported during his arrival in the district.
