Richard Loitam : Police foil students' 'ban' campaign
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 25 2012:
Police today arrested seven student activists from different parts of Imphal market areas for allegedly seizing goods and articles manufactured in Karnataka.
Intensifying its movement against the deaths of Richard Loitam and Okram Laaba, student volunteers of six student organisations DESAM, AMSU, MSF, KSA, SWAK and SUK carried out a drive at the shops of Imphal market to seize the articles manufactured in the southern State today.
On receiving information about the drive, Manipur Police took up immediate action to stop the campaign.
The seven students were arrested from different parts of Imphal market on the basis of suspicion by personnel of City Police Station and Imphal Police Station.
Reacting to police action, AMSU president Th Suresh while speaking to reporters at AMSU head office said, Manipur, Central and Karnataka Governments have failed to take up any positive action although different organisations have been demanding justice in the deaths of Richard Loitam and Okram Laaba.
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Shops at Imphal market have already been given 24 hours time (6 am of May 24 to 6 am of May 24) to stop selling of articles manufactured in Karnataka to register protest against Governments' lackadaisical attitude regarding the issue, Suresh said.
He added that volunteers of six student organisations carried out an inspection drive to check whether these articles were sold in the shops of Imphal market today.
During the drive, Suresh said, many shops were found selling items manufactured in Karnataka and these articles were seized by the student volunteers to stop their sale.
Suresh flayed the Manipur Police for frisking and enquiring identities to every suspicious youths moving around Imphal market.
Saying that such police actions are never carried out in any part of the world, Suresh called on the general public to stand against such moves in future.
The AMSU president also demanded for immediate and unconditional release of the arrested students.
The students burnt the articles seized from different shops at a place in Imphal market.