MU stir resumes, 31 students pulled up
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 06 2018: Whereas the Manipur University Students' Union (MUSU) has resumed their suspended agitation, 31 students who took part in an abortive attempt to storm Prof AP Pandey's official residence at Sanjenthong have been arrested by police.

MUSU resumed their agitation by burning effigies of VC Prof Pandey and Registrar in-charge Prof M Shyamkesho at MU main gate, Canchipur at 11.30 am today.

They shouted slogans like, "Remove Prof Pandey from MU", "Go back Pandey", "Long live MU", "Long live MUSU" etc.

At around 2 pm, MUSU volunteers gathered in front of the Sanjenthong official residence of the VC which is located in between official residences of the Chief Secretary and the DGP.

There, they shouted slogans denouncing Prof Pandey.

In their efforts to control the situation, Imphal East District Police pulled up 22 students from the gate of Prof Pandey's official residence.

Earlier, nine other students were pulled up before they reached Sanjenthong.

The arrested students include MUSU general secretary L Kennedy, finance secretary Anish and cultural secretary Robindro.

A group of students followed their arrested colleagues till Porompat police station and courted mass arrest.

After they were driven back from Porompat police station, the students came to MU and locked the university's main gate from inside.

Some teachers went to Porompat police station to bring back the arrested students but the students maintained that they would not come out from police custody until a concrete response is received from the Central Government.

As such, the teachers returned empty handed.

However, MUSU president M Dayaman maintained that they would not be deterred by the arrest of fellow office bearers and other students and added that they will carry on the agitation until Prof Pandey is removed from MU.

Demanding dismissal of Prof Pandey, MUSU launched their strike on May 30 and they were later joined by MUTA and MUSA which led to complete shut down of MU.

MU returned to normalcy for a brief period after an MoA was signed on August 16 between MU community, MHRD and the State Government.

MUSU resumed their agitation after Prof Pandey returned to duty from leave on September 1 .

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