Imphal, May 30: Following an understanding reached between the State Govt and the MEELAL activists on the Meetei Mayek issue recently, all the 302 Mayek activists including MEELAL's president Chingsubam Akaba were released today by the Govt without any condition.

302 mayek activists had been languishing in the Sajiwa Central jail for the last three/four months after being arrested by State Security forces during the Mayek agitation.

The Mayek agitation which began in February was spearheaded by MEELAL and staunchly supported by DESAM volunteers.

Thousands of textbooks written in Bengali script were torched during course of the agitation besides setting ablaze State Central Library and several Govt vehicles.

Responding to the violent protest launched by mayek activists, State police launched a major crackdown on the Meetei Mayek activists resulting in the arrest of 455 activists and subsequently putting them behind bars at the Sajiwa Central jail.

However, 153 mayek activists had been earlier released on health grounds reducing the total number of mayek activists to 302 out of which five MEELAL and 15 DESAM volunteers were booked under the NSA.

The jail authorities opened the jail gate at 1.30 this afternoon and began releasing all the female activists after which the male activists were released.

However, MEELAL's president Chingsubam Akaba and DESAM's leader L Romesh were released at around 5.25 in the evening.

A large number of people who had gathered at the jail gate to receive the mayek activists rushed in on seeing the Mayek activists emerging from the jail gate and garlanded the leaders.

The activists were immediately put on the vehicles waiting nearby and taken to towards Hapta Kangjeibung for a reception function.

However, police personnel stopped the vehicle at Lamlong and forced the vehicles carrying the Mayek activists to proceed to THAU ground.

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