5 students hurt in stand off with cops on way to CM's office
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 07 2018:
Demanding an end to the lingering Manipur University crisis, a large number of college students marched to the Chief Minister's office today and at least five of them sustained injuries in the ensuing standoff with the police.
Observing that the police action was quite harsh, MUSU and MUTA declined a written invitation sent by the Chief Minister.
A large number of college students coming from different directions marched towards the Chief Minister's office at around 10 am today.
They had a brief confrontation with the police outside the office premises of the CM.
The students were herded together on the footpath near the Head Post Office.
As police attempted to further push back the students towards Nupi Lan complex, information came that four students had been taken into police custody.
On hearing about the arrest, the students refused to move contending that they would not budge from the spot until their colleagues are released.
After the four students were released, all the students again assembled together in front of the Nupi Lan Memorial Complex.
In the meantime, a team of representatives was awaiting permission from the Chief Minister for a meeting.
However, no arrangement was made to let the representatives enter the CM's office till 11.30 am.
This enraged the students and they made another attempt to storm the CM's office.
They raised many slogans in front of the CM's gate and an intense confrontation ensued between the students and police.
Soon after, police started charging upon the students using batons and they somehow succeeded in driving away the students.
Nonetheless, a team of student representatives was allowed to enter the CM's office and hand over a memorandum.
Police whipped the students including girls and five of them sustained injuries.
One Huidrom Johnson of South East Manipur College was taken to hospital.
Joint College Students' Forum convenor Arambam Vikash said that 3rd and 4th semester examination results of Graduate courses could not be declared till date on account of the MU crisis.
As the 6th semester examination result too has not been declared, many students who should be enrolled for PG courses have been pushed into a quandary, Vikash said.Examination results of technical and diploma courses conducted by MU too have not been declared, he said.
"We came here to lodge a complaint to the Chief Minister to see that the MU crisis is resolved at the earliest and academic careers of thousands of students are not jeopardised", he said.
Meanwhile, MUSU, MUTA and MUSA have condemned the police crack down on college students.
MUSU president M Dayaman said that police whipped the students as if the students were cattle.
Denouncing the crack down, MUSU declined an invitation sent by the Chief Minister for a meeting at 3 pm today.
Asserting that VC Prof AP Pandey is the root cause of all these unwanted incidents, Dayaman alleged that both the Governor and-the Chief Minister seem to be subordinate to the VC.
Reiterating that MUSU's position on the issue stands unchanged, Dayaman sought support from all student bodies, CSOs and the general public to their cause.
MUTA president Prof I Tomba too condemned the police crack down on college students in the strongest term.
He demanded a magisterial enquiry into the incident at the earliest.
Decrying the police crack down, MUTA too declined a meeting invitation sent by the Chief Minister.
An emergency meeting of MUTA executive committee was held today.
Apart from condemning the police crack down on college students, the meeting resolved not to hold any meeting with the CM today, Prof Tomba said.
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