Excessive use of force at MU alleged
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 03 2018:
The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) has highlighted to the international community, the excessive use of force/arbitrary detention at Manipur University, giving a blow by blow account of the situation at the varsity.
Giving a description of the situation, OMCT said that it has been informed by reliable sources of the use of excessive force by law enforcement agents against peaceful protesters in Manipur, and of the arbitrary arrest of at least 89 students and six professors from Manipur University.
According to information received, on the morning of 21 September 2018 a large number of security forces from the Manipur Police Commando, the Manipur Civil Police, the Central Reserved Police Force, the Indian Reserved Battalion and the Manipur Rifles raided without a warrant several students' hostels and Professors' quarters at Manipur University, allegedly in search of Manipur University Students' Union (MUSU)'s leaders, said OMCT.
During the raid the security personnel ran havoc and created bedlam in the university, which is a place of learning, said OMCT.
This raid took place in the wake of the three-month long protests by the students, teachers and staffs of Manipur University demanding the removal of Adya Prasad Pandey as Vice Chancellor (VC) of Manipur University.
Prof.Adya Prasad Pandey was subsequently dismissed, however the controversial appointment of Prof Yugindro as Prof.Pandey's successor, triggered further protests by the students.
As a consequence, Prof Yugindro filed an FIR at Singjamei police station, claiming that he had been harassed by the students.
The security forces raided the University in pursuance of the above-mentioned FIR.
During the raid, at least 89 students were detained in different police stations and, as of 28 September 2018, six Professors, namely Professor Sougaijam Dorendrajit, Professor L Vishwanath Sharma, Professor L Sanju Kumar, Professor Chungkham Yashowanta, Professor N Sanatomba and Professor Yengkhom Raghumani, as well as seven students, L Peter, M Santosh, Kh Sushilkumar, L Reynold, P Romarjit, Kh Joychand and Ngamkholen Mate, remain in judicial custody.
Further two other students, Laishram Robindro and Irom Kennedy, are in police custody.
Their hearing is scheduled on October 6, added OMCT.
Condeming the arbitrary detention of the students and teachers OMCT urged the Indian authorities to guarantee their safety and their psychological and physical integrity at all times.
The OMCT further urged the Indian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release the above-mentioned individuals, as well as to conduct prompt, effective, thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the use of excessive force by security forces during the events occurred at Manipur University on 21 October.