Student killed in police action, Imphal burns, protests galore
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 08 2015 : Indefinite curfew has been imposed in greater Imphal area after a 16-year-old died in police action on the students coming from different directions to storm the State Assembly complex demanding withdrawal of Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers Bill, 2015 and passing of a strong Bill to protect the indigenous people of the State today.

Over 20 students were injured in the police-students tussle.

The deceased has been identified as Sapam Robinhood Singh s/o S Romesh Singh of Keisamthong Thangjam Leirak at present staying at Khurai Lairikyengbam Leikai.

Robinhood was seriously injured after he was hit by a tear gas shell on his face at Minuthong.

He was immediately rushed to the ICU ward of Raj Medicity.

However, he succumbed to his injury at around 4 pm.

Soon after getting the information of Robinhood's demise, his family and JCILPS representatives came to the hospital.

Police stopping students of TG HSS from taking out a protest as news of the death of the student spread and protest at night

Later, his body was deposited at JNIMS morgue by a team of Porompat police station.

Later, irate students of Ananda Singh Higher Secondary Academy and locals of Khurai Lairikyengbam Leikai, where the deceased stayed for around past 13 years, marched towards Assembly complex and the Chief Minister's residence demanding action against the involved police personnel.

However, a large police team led by Imphal West Additional SP (Operations) Vikramjit and Additional SP (Law and Order) S Ibomcha stopped them before they reached Chingmeirong traffic island.

They stayed there for around three hours shouting slogans like 'Punish the involved police personnel', 'We demand ILPS implementation' and 'Long Live Manipur' .

A confrontation broke out between police and protesters as the agitators tried to proceed further after they were joined by another group of locals from Lairikyengbam Leikai at around 7.30 pm.

Later police fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the agitators as they started pelting stones at the police.

On the other hand, a large number of agitators tried to storm Porompat police station demanding action against the involved police personnel.

They were dispersed by a large team of Imphal East district police near New Checkon who firing tear gas shells.

A bus of 4th IRB which was coming from Palace gate towards Lamlong was damaged by the protestors who pushed it down a nearby drain.

At Lamlong bridge, protesters burnt tyres and other objects in the middle of the road.

Earlier in the day, students of various schools of Imphal West district also tried to storm the Assembly complex after coming from different routes.

In the afternoon, a large number of students of TG Higher Secondary School came out from their campus and tried to march towards the Assembly.

They were however blocked by a large team of police at Raj Bhavan traffic island.

During the hour-long tussle, the students tried to break the police barricade on many occasions and some students even managed to pass the barricade and marched towards Keishampat junction.

They were later joined by the students of GP Women's College and tried to break the police barricade.

Police then fired smoke bombs to disperse them wherein some students were injured.

On the other hand, overpowering the police teams deployed near their schools, a large number of students of Ibotonsana Girls Higher Secondary School and Johnstone Higher Secondary School converged near Gambhir Singh Shopping Arcade on BT road to march towards the Assembly complex.

However, police pushed them back up to Shamu Makhong where they were joined by the women vendors of Ima Keithel in staging demonstration.

After some time, a section of students managed to overpower the police and ran towards Thangal bazar and reached Khoyathong area.

They pelted stones at some shops at Kasturi bridge.

The students were stopped again by a large police team near Khoyathong Pukhri Achouba who forced the students to return to their respective schools.