The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) and kindred tribes of the Kuki-Zo community in Sadar Hills, Kangpokpi, have expressed profound anguish over the demise of Vungzagin Valte, the sitting MLA from Thanlon Assembly Constituency, who passed away at Medanta Hospital, Delhi NCR, this afternoon. He succumbed to injuries sustained during a brutal mob assault in Imphal on May 4, 2023, in the early days of the ongoing Manipur conflict.
CoTU described Valte as a leader who “stood unwaveringly for his people,” asserting that his vocal defence of minority tribal rights and his criticism of the then state administration under former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh had made him a target amid escalating ethnic tensions.
The Committee stated that the late MLA was among the first elected representatives from the Kuki-Zo community to fall victim to the violence that erupted in May 2023, terming it an “ethnic and religious persecution” against the tribal population. It further alleged grave lapses in security, noting that despite his high-security status, Valte was attacked in the heart of Imphal. His personal driver, also a member of the Kuki-Zo community, was killed on the spot, while his personal security officer belonging to the Meitei community was unharmed and huddled to safety.
CoTU alleged that Valte was subjected to severe physical assault and left critically injured. The organisation further claimed that crucial evidence, including CCTV footage from areas near the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, was either omitted or erased during the immediate aftermath of the incident—an allegation that has remained a point of contention since the outbreak of violence.
The late MLA had been undergoing prolonged medical treatment in Delhi following the attack. His partial recovery at the time had drawn widespread national and international media attention, with repeated calls from tribal bodies for an impartial and time-bound investigation into the assault.
Expressing deep condolences to the bereaved family, CoTU has appealed to the Supreme Court and the designated investigating agencies to ensure that those responsible for the attack are brought to justice without fear or favour.
As a mark of highest homage, the Committee announced a total shutdown in Sadar Hills on the day Valte’s mortal remains are flown from Delhi and during his final rites in Churachandpur, urging the public to participate in what it termed a “collective mourning for a fallen tribal leader.”
Meanwhile, Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) also expressed profound grief over the demise of Vungzagin Valte, MLA of Thanlon Assembly Constituency, who passed away at Medanta Medicity, Gurugram, following prolonged medical treatment.
In a condolence message, KIM stated that Valte had been critically injured on May 4, 2023, after being brutally assaulted while leaving the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Imphal, where he had attended an official meeting. The organisation termed him one of the victims of the ethnic violence that has gripped Manipur since May 2023.
Describing his passing as a “stark and sorrowful reminder” of the continued suffering endured by the Kuki-Zo people, KIM said the tragedy underscores the urgent need for a just and honourable political and administrative solution.
KIM said Valte’s demise marks an irreparable loss to his family, constituents, and the wider Kuki-Zo community. The apex tribal body extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and the people of Thanlon Assembly Constituency, affirming solidarity with them in this hour of grief.
The organisation urged all concerned to honour his memory with dignity, calm and unity, and prayed for eternal peace for the departed soul.
The Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) General Headquarters on Friday expressed profound shock over the demise of Vungzagin Valte, MLA of Thanlon Assembly Constituency, after prolonged medical treatment.
The student body stated that Valte had been undergoing continuous treatment since May 4, 2023, when he sustained grievous injuries in a mob attack in Imphal, allegedly carried out by members of Arambai Tenggol. The assault took place shortly after he returned from a meeting with then Chief Minister N. Biren Singh at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.
Describing the attack on an elected representative as a direct assault on democracy, the KSO said Valte’s prolonged suffering and eventual demise stand as a painful reminder of the ethnic strife between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities. The organisation termed him a “victim of the conflict and a martyr,” reiterating its demand for Separate Administration in the form of a Union Territory with legislature for the Kuki-Zo people.
Calling his passing an irreparable loss, the KSO stated that Valte’s death has left a deep void not only in his family but also among the people of Thanlon and the wider Kuki-Zo community.
The organisation urged the public, particularly constituents of Thanlon, to remain calm and united during this period of grief and to continue striving for leadership that safeguards the interests of tribal communities.
The KSO conveyed its deepest condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for eternal peace for
The Hills Journal
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