Manipur CM reaches Churachandpur amid boycott, shutdown to attend MLA Vungzagin Valte's last rites

Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh reached Churachandpur by helicopter on July 4 despite a boycott call by several civil society organisations and a shutdown in the district ahead of his visit.

According to official and local sources, the Chief Minister travelled from Imphal to attend the last rites of former MLA Vungzagin Valte at his residence in Dorcas Veng.

Tension prevailed across Churachandpur from Friday, with various organisations opposing the Chief Minister's proposed visit. On Saturday morning, Kuki protesters took to the streets, while markets remained shut and vehicular movement was sparse in the district headquarters. Protesters also reportedly attempted to block the Imphal–Churachandpur route.

Valte, a three-time legislator, was critically injured in an alleged mob assault on May 4, 2023, during the initial phase of the ethnic violence in Manipur. He underwent prolonged medical treatment before passing away on February 20, 2026, at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. His last rites were held more than four months after his death.

Valte was first elected to the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly in 2012 on an Indian National Congress ticket. He later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and was re-elected in 2017, serving as Minister for Tribal Affairs and Hills, General Administration, and Transport. He retained his Churachandpur seat in the 2022 Assembly elections.

The Chief Minister's visit took place amid heightened security, and there were no immediate reports of major violence during his arrival.