It has been reported that BJP's Vungzagin Valte, a three-time MLA from Thanlon in Pherzawl district, was on his way to his official residence in Imphal when the attack took place.
Amid the intensifying violence in the northeastern state of Manipur as clashes erupted between the tribals and the majority Meitei c⛦ommunity, an agitated mob on Thursday attacked BJP MLA Vungzagin Valte in Imphal while he was returning from the state secretariat after a meeting with Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
Valte is currently in a critical condition and undergoing treatment at the Regional Ins🥀titute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal.
It has been reported that Valte, a three-time MLA from Thanlon in Pherzawl district, was on his way to his official residence in Imphal when th🧸e attack to♌ok place.
Valte is from the Kuki community. He was the Tribal Affairs & Hills minister of Manipur in the last B💮JP government.
The Manipur government on Thursday issued 'shoot at sight' orders to contain spiralling violence in the state between tribals and the majority Meitei community wꦯhich has displaced over 9,000 people from their villages.
Fifty-five columns of the Army and Assam Rifles had to be deployed to contain widespread rioting. More troops are being bro𒐪ught in from Nagaland by road while the IAF is flying in reinforcements⭕ from Guwahati and Tezpur, defence officials indicated.
Urging people to maintain peace, Chief Minister N Biren Si🍸ngh said, "Precious lives have been lost, besides damage of properties, which is very unfortunate", without giving any details of the number of dead or injured.
Multiple sources said the fighting between communities had left more than a score of people dead and several scores more injured. However, th꧑e police were unwilling to c﷽onfirm this.
A defence spokesperson said, "The situation in Moreh and Kangpokpi has been brought under cꦍontrol and is stable. All efforts are underway to restore normalcy in Imphal and Churachandpur."
The Army also kept some 14 columns on standby for deployment in case the situa💛tion flared up once again, the defence spokesperso🐻n had said earlier in the day.
Sour꧅ces said more than 6,000 soldiers had already been deployed to stop rioters from attackinꦰg people, however the number could not be officially verified.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday held me𓃲etings with top functionaries of Manipur and central governments through video conference to review the situation there besides talking to Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, as well a♔s with chief ministers Neiphiu Rio (Nagaland), Zoramthanga (Mizoram) and Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam), sources said.
The Manipur government also appointed retired IPS ✱officer and former CRPF chief Kuldiep Singh as its security advisor,🍬 they added.
The Centre on its part air-lifted teams of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), a specialised force to handle riots, for deploymentꦛ in violence-hit areas of the Northeastern state.
Internet services including mobile internet, have 🌜been suspended for five days across the state with immediate effect to prevent disturbance of peace and public order, a Home department order said on Thursday.
Clas♒hes broke out on Wednesday which intensified overnight, after Naga and Kuki tribals organised a 'Tribal Solidarity March' to protest moves to give scheduled tribe status to the majority Metei community.
(With PTI Inputs)