Manipur BJP MLA’s family refuses burial till demands are met

The family of Manipur BJP MLA Vungzagin Valte, who passed away at a hospital in Haryana on February 21, has refused to bury the body until its demands – a separate district for the Zomi tribe and a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into his death – are met by the government, family and community members said.

Valte belonged to the Zomi community and was assaulted by a mob on May 4, 2023 in Imphal, a day after ethnic violence erupted between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei people. He could not recover from the injuries sustained then.

Valte’s body was flown from Delhi to Aizawl in neighbouring Mizoram, at the request of the family. It was brought to his residence at Churachandpur in Manipur on February 24 via road from the Lengpui airport in Aizawl. As the convoy passed, people paid tributes along the way.

Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh is learnt to have told the family that arrangements would be made to the accord State honours to Valte.

List with Governor

However, Valte’s son, Joseph, told The Hindu said the family members had handed over a list of demands to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, and that the burial will not take place till they are fulfilled.

A total shutdown was observed in Churachandpur district on Tuesday. The State government had declared official mourning from February 22 to 24.

Vumsuan Naulak, chairman, Zomi Council, said a postmortem was done at a Churachandpur hospital on Wednesday. The community leaders will convene a meeting to decide the future course of action. “We have a list of demands and till the government accepts the condition, the burial is unlikely,” Mr. Naulak said.

In a post on X on Tuesday, the Lok Bhavan, Manipur, said the Governor visited Churachandpur district to pay tributes to Valte, laying a wreath and shawl in solemn remembrance. “The Governor met the bereaved family and conveyed his heartfelt condolences, praying for the eternal peace of the departed soul and strength for the family during this moment of profound grief,” it said

Manipur Security Adviser Kuldiep Singh also paid his respects by laying a wreath and shawl.

A senior government official confirmed that Valte’s family had submitted a list of demands to the Governor. “The family was told that the creation of a district is an administrative decision that takes time and requires consensus of the elected government. It cannot happen in three or four days,” the official said.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 13, 2025, Valte said he was brutally attacked by “Meitei militia (Arambai Tenggol)”, resulting in severe injuries that paralysed him. Despite the gravity of the incident, no special inquiry, either by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was initiated, he said.

The three-term MLA from Thanlon constituency was attacked when he was returning from the Chief Minister’s Office after attending a security review meeting. No arrests have been made in the case so far.