Churachandpur became a landscape of flickering candlelight on Tuesday evening as hundreds gathered at the Medical College campus to mark the two-month anniversary of the death of BJP MLA Vungzagin Valte. The vigil, organized by Zomi frontal organizations, served as a somber precursor to a 13-hour total shutdown across the district. Participants reiterated their demands for a thorough investigation into the 2023 assault that eventually led to the legislator’s untimely demise earlier this year.
Vungzagin Valte, the representative from the Thanlon constituency, passed away on February 20, 2026, following a long battle with complications arising from severe injuries sustained during the onset of Manipur’s ethnic violence. On May 4, 2023, while returning from a meeting with the Chief Minister in Imphal, Valte’s vehicle was intercepted by a mob. He was subjected to a brutal physical assault, while his driver tragically died from injuries sustained during the same incident. Although Valte survived initial treatment in Delhi, his health never fully recovered, leading to his final hospitalization and death in February.
Addressing the gathering, Muanlian of the Zomi Coordination Committee expressed the “collective anguish and grief” of the community. He accused both the central and state governments of failing to act on repeated demands for accountability. The organizers have specifically called for a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), alleging that the attack on the MLA was a “premeditated assault.” Furthermore, they urged the state government to honor Valte’s legacy by completing various development projects in his constituency that have stalled since the unrest began.
The 13-hour shutdown, scheduled to paralyze the district following the vigil, signals a heightening of tensions in the region. Local leaders have warned that demonstrations will persist “in any means possible” until authorities provide a concrete response to their grievances. As the state continues to navigate the complex aftermath of the 2023 ethnic clashes, the death of Vungzagin Valte has become a potent symbol of the ongoing struggle for justice and administrative accountability in Manipur’s hill districts.
