Photo Courtesy: nenow
Imphal: BJP MLA Vungzagin Valte will be laid to rest this Saturday. The three-time legislator from Thanlon will be buried at the Dorcas Veng cemetery in Churachandpur at 1:30 p.m. He died on February 20 at a Gurugram hospital after a long struggle with injuries sustained during the 2023 ethnic riots.
A mob attacked the 61-year-old in the Nagamapal area of Imphal in May 2023. He spent nearly two years receiving medical care in Delhi. His health failed this February, leading to an emergency flight to Haryana. His remains have been stored at the Churachandpur District Hospital ever since.
The funeral was held up for months while local advocacy groups pushed for answers. The Zomi Coordination Committee delayed the burial to pressure authorities for a deeper investigation into the assault. The group now demands a probe by federal agencies, stating, "The committee recently decided to hand over Valte's body to his family to enable the funeral to take place."
This committee continues to lobby for a Union Territory status with a legislature for Kuki-Zo regions. Before he died, Valte sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking for separate administrative terms for his community. Ongoing clashes between Meitei and Kuki-Zo groups have killed at least 260 people and forced thousands from their homes.
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