Manipur CM Visits Churachandpur for First Time Since Ethnic Conflict

Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh touched down in Churachandpur by helicopter on Saturday. It was his first trip to the district since ethnic violence tore the state apart in May 2023. He came to pay respects at the funeral of former BJP MLA Vungzagin Valte.

Valte died in February from injuries he suffered during a mob attack early in the conflict. The state honored him with a ceremonial gun salute at the YPA New Lamka Cemetery. Khemchand mourned the loss, noting he had once worked closely with the late legislator to restore order.

The Chief Minister insisted that talk is the only path to a fix. Peace is hard to find. When pressed on his specific plan for stability, he told reporters, "The smile of the questioner is the roadmap to peace."

Khemchand claimed a small group of people keeps fueling the fire for their own gain. He warned that the law will track these instigators down. The fighting has crippled the local economy, cut off government revenue, and pushed students and daily workers to the brink. He called for a unified effort to bring normalcy back to the state.