Daijiworld Media Network – Churachandpur
Churachandpur, Jul 4: Hundreds of Kuki protesters took to the streets in Manipur's Churachandpur district on Saturday ahead of the last rites of former BJP MLA Vungzagin Valte, opposing Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh's proposed visit to the Kuki-Zo dominated region.
At least six Kuki organisations boycotted the chief minister's visit, demanding a permanent political solution to the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state before any Meitei leaders or officials enter the district.
Markets remained shut and vehicular movement came to a standstill following a shutdown call by an armed group. Protesters also blocked the Imphal-Churachandpur route near the Kaprang area along Tedim Road to prevent the chief minister's entry.
Tension escalated late Friday night after unidentified armed persons reportedly fired several rounds into the air near Jalengphai village, bordering Bishnupur district.
In a joint statement, organisations including the Kuki Students Organisation, Kuki Inpi Churachandpur and Kuki Women Union, under the banner of the Kuki Civil Society Organisation (KCSO), said they would not allow any Meitei individual, official or group into the district until the Kuki-Zo-Meitei conflict is permanently resolved.
The protests coincided with the scheduled final rites of former BJP MLA Vungzagin Valte, who will be laid to rest at Dorcas Veng village in Churachandpur on Saturday afternoon.
Valte, a three-time legislator from Thanlon constituency belonging to the Zomi community, succumbed to injuries on February 20 this year at a private hospital in Gurugram after battling for nearly two years following a brutal mob attack in Imphal during the outbreak of ethnic violence in May 2023.
His mortal remains had been kept at Churachandpur District Hospital since being brought back from Delhi in February, as Zomi organisations delayed the funeral while pursuing demands for justice.
The Zomi Coordination Committee (ZCC), formed after his death, had sought a time-bound probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) or Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the attack on Valte and reiterated its demand for Union Territory status with a legislature for the Kuki-Zo majority areas.
The committee recently decided to hand over Valte's body to his family to enable the funeral to proceed.
Valte had earlier written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a separate administrative arrangement for the Kuki-Zo community.
Manipur has witnessed prolonged ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities since May 2023, claiming at least 260 lives and displacing thousands of people. President's Rule, imposed in February 2025 following the resignation of former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, was lifted in February this year.