'Murder' case of Loitam Richard : Nara brokers scheduled meeting between NE students and Karnataka CM
No let up in demand for justice in deaths of students from State
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 07 2012: A large number of students today took out a protest rally against the 'murder' of Loitam Richard and Okram Laaba.

The protest rally which began from NCC Ground, DM College campus was jointly organised by six student organisations of the State.

The rally passed through Thangmeiband Lilashing Khongnangkhong, Chingmeirong Khongnang Ani Karak, DM College Road, North AOC and Khoyathong where they were blocked by police for sometime.

Again the protesters were blocked by police near MG Avenue junction.

There police asked the students to turn around and head North.

This was refused by the students resulting in a tussle between the two sides.

The protesters insisted that they be allowed to proceed on the same route and direction and to hand over a memorandum to the Chief Minister in connection with the 'murder' of Okram Laaba and Laitom Richard.

Our Jiribam correspondent adds: Around 1000 students from different schools of Jiribam took out a protest rally today against the controversial death of Loitam Richard in Bangalore last month.

The rally which started from Jiribam Higher Secondary School proceeded towards the office of the ADC but they were prevented from entering the office by the police who were out in huge strength.

Students on rally demanding justice being stopped by the police

The protesters carried placards which read as "punish the guilty murderers", "we want justice", "stop discrimination against the North East students" etc.

Ultimately police prevailed and the students were forced to turn back North from MG Avenue junction.

Undeterred by the police barricade, the students once again attempted to breach the barricade albeit unsuccessfully.

After this, police guided back the protesters along Thangmeiband road till THAU where the rally was terminated.

The protesters also chanted many slogans demanding exemplary punishment for all those involved in the murder of Loitam Richard and Okram Laaba.

Richard was a student of Acharya NRV School of Architecture, Bangalore while Laaba studied at Hindustan College of Arts and Science, Chennai.

Today's protest rally was jointly organised by DESAM, AMSU, MSF, KSA, SUAK and SAK.

Demanding justice for the twin murder, leaders of the six student organisations also staged a protest demonstration at Khwairamband Shamu Makhong.

Already, a large number of school students protested the same murders by a forming human chains.

Though they were unsuccessful today, the student organisations have made all preparations to submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister tomorrow.