Undaunted by police crack down ILPS stir goes on, public curfew announced
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 25 2014 : Although the State Govern-ment had announced closure of all the educational institutes of Imphal East and Imphal West till the last day of the State Legislative Assembly Budget session (July 28), atleast 12 students were injured in different agitations staged in Imphal and Thoubal today.

At around 12.30 pm, police fired several rounds of tear gas shells and resorted to baton charging on a group of Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System Student's Wing (JCILPSSW) volunteers, who tried to take out a protest rally from AMSU headquarters towards State Assembly complex.

Instead of moving back, the police action was retaliated with stone pelting by the agitating students for nearly two hours and a half.

The agitation was brought under control only after arrival of police reinforcement.

Police being confronted by protesters

Atleast five volunteers of JCILPSSW were injured while many others were detained by police in the face-off.

Meanwhile, JCILPSSW announced a public curfew in all Government offices in response to Government's move to close down all the educational institutes of Imphal East and Imphal West till July 28 .

Speaking to The Sangai Express, JCILPSSW convenor M Angamba said that as Government is trying to suppress the voice of students by announcing closure of educational institutions, the Students' Wing is compelled to clamp a public curfew in all the Government offices with immediate effect till July 28 in response to Government's move.

In Thoubal district, a large number of students of different educational institutes took out a protest rally from Waikhom Mani Girls' College, Wangamataba, reports our Correspondent.

The rallyists were joined by the students of Chaoyaima Higher Secondary School in breaking the barricade erected by police at Thoubal Melaground, Yairipok Lamkhai.

However, they were again blockaded by a large police team led by Thoubal Additional SP and Thoubal Police Station OC at the gate of DC office complex located at Athokpam.

As the students denied to turn back even after repeated orders from the police team, several rounds of tear gas shells and smoke bombs were fired on the students to disperse them.

Seven students were injured in the melee although police did not resort to lathi charge.

They were hospitalised at Thoubal District Hospital.

On the otherhand, police today foiled women vendors' attempt to march towards State Legislative Assembly on the issue of implementation of ILPS in the State.

After the rallyists were barricaded at BT road, police detained many women vendors at City Police Station.

However, they were released later.

A woman agitator said that 60 MLAs of the State have failed to show their political will on the issue although the matter had already been passed by the State Assembly.

Maintaining that the demand for ILPS implementation is legitimate as it is necessary for the protection of indigenous people of the State, she also condemned merciless beating up of students in yesterday's agitation.

She cautioned that the situation would further aggravate if action is not taken against the involved police personnel.