Imphal, Feb 8 Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Vungzagin Valte, who belongs to the Kuki-Zo community and sustained grievous injuries during the May 2023 ethnic violence in Imphal, was on Sunday, airlifted from Imphal to New Delhi for advanced medical treatment, officials said.
An official said that the 62-year-old tribal legislator had been staying in the Kuki-Zo-dominated Churachandpur district after undergoing prolonged medical treatment in Delhi following the violent attack on May 4, 2023.
He will be admitted to a private hospital in Gurugram.
The official said Valte's health condition deteriorated since Saturday, following which he was rushed to the Churachandpur Medical College and Hospital, where he was admitted to the ICU for stabilisation.
Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh monitored Valte's health condition throughout the night and sent an advanced life-support ambulance along with a team of doctors from Imphal to Churachandpur around midnight on Saturday.
Through teleconferencing, doctors from Imphal remained in constant touch with the medical team at Churachandpur Medical College and Hospital.
Taking personal care of the situation, the Chief Minister immediately arranged an air ambulance to evacuate the BJP MLA, who represents the Thanlon Assembly Constituency in Churachandpur district.
However, the tribal leader's condition remained critical during the night, the official said.
As his condition showed some improvement, the MLA was shifted from Churachandpur Medical College and Hospital on Sunday afternoon, accompanied by Dharun Kumar S, the Deputy Commissioner of the district.
Two BJP legislators, Tongbram Robindro Singh and Sanasam Premchandra Singh, escorted the ailing Valte from Phoujakhai village to Imphal Airport.
Chief Minister Singh received Valte at Imphal Airport late Sunday afternoon.
He interacted with Valte's family members and wished him a speedy recovery.
"Pu Valte, please come back after you have fully recovered. I will wait for your return," Chief Minister Singh said.
Later, the air ambulance carrying Valte took off from the Imphal Airport.
In a post on social media platform X, the Chief Minister said: "Extended my best wishes for a speedy recovery to MLA of Thanlon Assembly constituency, Vungzagin Valte, while seeing him off at Bir Tikendrajit International Airport this evening. Valte is proceeding to New Delhi on a chartered ambulance flight for further medical treatment."
Valte was brutally attacked and left critically injured by assailants on May 4, 2023, in Imphal, shortly after attending a meeting with former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh.
The assault left him with multiple injuries and partial paralysis, necessitating his urgent shift to Delhi for months of medical treatment.
Valte's driver was killed in the May 4, 2023 attack.
The tribal leader had earlier urged unity among Zo community members amid the ongoing ethnic crisis in Manipur.
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