Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh touched down in Churachandpur by helicopter this Saturday. He arrived to attend the funeral of former MLA Vungzagin Valte. The visit pressed forward despite a formal boycott call from Kuki-Zo civil society groups.
Tension gripped the district ahead of his arrival. Protesters set up barricades using tires and logs to block roads. Markets stayed dark. The streets remained mostly empty. Local groups declared the leader was “not welcome” in the district, urging him to stay away from the ceremony held at Valte’s home in Dorcas Veng.
Valte died on February 20 after a long stay at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. The three-time legislator never fully recovered from a brutal mob assault on May 4, 2023. That attack occurred during the onset of ethnic violence in the state. His funeral took place four months after his death following discussions between his family and community leaders.
Security forces swarmed the area to guard the Chief Minister. The heavy deployment ensured his safe passage through the volatile district. No major violence broke out during the visit. The trip remains a high-stakes move as government relations with the local community stay frayed.
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