A Bharatiya Janata Party legislator, Vungzagin Valte, was set upon by a mob and beaten up in Imphal while returning from a meeting with Chief Minister N Biren Singh at his office on Thursday, two people familiar with the development told Scroll.

A senior security official, who requested not to be named, said Valte is in a critical condition and admitted to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal.

A Naga legislator from the hills, who also attended the meeting, said the mob accosted Valte and vandalised his vehicle. He said Valte is likely to be airlifted to Delhi for treatment.

Several incidents of violence have broken out in Manipur since Wednesday, when thousands of hill tribals took out a march to oppose the inclusion of Meiteis in the list of Scheduled Tribe communities. The Army and paramilitary forces have been deployed in the state.

Earlier in the day, the chief minister had called a meeting of legislators from the hills to discuss the law and order situation. Valte is a leader of the Kuki tribal community from the Pherzawl district.

The BJP government has issued “shoot-at-sight” orders “in extreme cases” to control the violence in the state.

Singh said that “precious lives have been lost” in the violence but did not give further details.

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