Manipur’s Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Vungzagin Valte, who was attacked by a mob in Imphal during the ethnic violence in the state in May 2023, died on Friday in Gurugram after nearly three years of medical treatment following the assault, his son David Valte told Scroll. He was 63.

Valte, who represented the Thanlon constituency in Churachandpur district, was a leader of the Zomi community, which is part of the larger Zo group comprising the Kuki-Zomi-Hmar communities.

On May 4, 2023, the MLA was brutally assaulted by a mob, allegedly comprising members of the dominant Meitei community, at Nagamapal in Imphal when he was returning from a meeting with former Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

The attack took place a day after ethnic clashes broke out between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo-Hmar communities in the state. Since then, at least 260 persons have been killed and more than 59,000 displaced. There were periodic upticks in violence in 2024 and 2025.

Following the assault, Valte underwent treatment in New Delhi for two years, the Nagaland Post reported. He later returned to Lamka in Churachandpur district to recuperate, but continued to face health problems because of his injuries, NDTV reported. He used a wheelchair and had difficulty speaking since the attack, the news outlet reported.

On February 7, a state government spokesperson said that his condition had deteriorated. He was taken to the Churachandpur Medical College Hospital and admitted to the intensive care unit, The Hindu reported.

A day later, he was airlifted to New Delhi and taken to a private hospital in Gurugram for advanced treatment, the newspaper reported.