K'taka goods seized, burnt: Stir over Loitam Richard murder case
Source: Hueiyen News Service //NNN

Imphal, May 25 2012: As announced earlier, goods made in Karnataka were seized by students and burnt them in the presence of media persons at a place in Imphal today, as part of the agitation against the alleged neglect of the Congress led state government from exerting pressure on the authorities concerned over suspicious death of Loitam Richard.

In the follow up police action, around 10 student agitators were reportedly arrested by city police.

The six students' organizations of the state, namely AMSU, DESAM, MSF, KSA, SUK and SWAK have been launching a series of agitation against the alleged negligence of the state government to give pressure on Karnataka government and the Indian government to allow the CBI to investigate into the death of Richard Loitam.

Around 10 students were reported to have been arrested by Imphal city police while the students were conducting a drive in the two main market areas of Imphal to seize goods made in Karnataka.

Student agitators consigning to flame goods made in Karnataka which they seized during a drive in market area

The students were successful in their mission as most of them return safely after the drive, though some of them were arrested by the police, said AMSU president Suresh.

He said that the six students' organizations have been agitating in democratic ways from May 4 to demand proper investigation and justice over suspicious deaths of two students from Manipur, Richard and Laaba, but the state government has been giving a deaf ear to the demand of the students to take a pro-active role on behalf of the people of Manipur to demand the concerned governments to investigate the deaths of the two students who died under suspicious circumstance, and hand over the cases to the CBI, if necessary.

But till now no appropriate action has been forthcoming from the side of the government, thereby compelling the students to take the drastic step of seizing and burning of goods made in the states where the students had been killed, said the AMSU president, and added that similar drives will continue till proper response from the side of the state government is visible.

Meanwhile, Manipuris based at Karnataka have expressed reservations about the decision of the students' organizations to ban goods made in Karnataka in Manipur and entry of educational counselors from Karnataka in the state.

Some have described the decision as an immature decision while others have urged the students' organizations not to mix up state affairs with an isolated case of murder.

Some others have opined that it might cause negative impacts on the lives of Manipuri students and residents who are staying in Karnataka.

On the other hand, student leaders in Manipur have described it as a non-cooperation movement as well as a direct message to the Karnataka government to hand over the case of Richard Loitam to CBI for an impartial investigation and to accelerate the case at the earliest possible.