Demand for ILPS or similar mechanism : Five arrested, 13 people join hunger strike
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 16 2015: Even as the five students who were on hunger strike at the gate of Ananda Singh Higher Secon-dary Academy as a part the ongoing mass movement for enforcement of Inner Line Permit System or a similar mechanism in Manipur were pulled up by police last night, 13 people have started fasting at Thangmeiband, Lairikyengbam Leikai and Ananda Hr Sec Academy gate .

Notably, Lairikyengbam Leikai is the native place of Sapam Robinhood who was killed in police action in the course of the ongoing movement.

Hours after five student protesters were pulled up by police, a new batch of students came forward to join indefinite fast demanding implementation of ILPS in the State.

The students who joined the hunger strike today are CC Higher Secondary School student Toijam Robinson, s/o T Ibomcha of Wangkhei (class XI); Lamlong Higher Secondary School students Leishangthem Fazal, s/o Md Beniyamin/Benjamin of Khomidok (class XII), Kh Thoibisana Chanu, d/o Kh Salaingamba Mangang of Khurai Nandeibam Leikai (class X) and Ningthoujam Linthoi, d/o N Manglem of Lairikyengbam Leikai, Lam-long (class X) and Ananda Singh Higher Secondary School student Arambam Bogen, s/o A Binodkumar of Kongba.

Some of the hunger strikers on Sunday

Speaking to media persons, Leishangthem Fazal said even if the State Government has taken the five student protesters into custody, thousand more students would join the protest to save the indigenous settlers of the State.

Fazal said, they would not end their hunger strike until ILP is implemented in the State.

The indefinite hunger strike/fast onto death demanding implementation of ILP was initiated by group of five students from different Government schools on August 14.They were taken into police custody today at around 1 am.

The six youngsters started fasting at the temporary structure being used by the JAC constituted against the killing of Robinhood at the western side of Lamlong bridge at around noon.

The hunger strikers include AMSU Imphal East District Committee president Sumanta Manoharmayum (21) of Sekta Mayai Leikai, CAF&PD Labourers' Welfare Association general secretary Romendrajit Moirangcha (31) of Heigrujam Mamang, Yumnam Langdaiba (22) of Langol Housing Complex Type-II, Tenison Akoijam (31) of Uripok Sinam Leikai, Dipeshwore Lairikyengbam of New Checkon Awang Leikai and Haorakchambam Jemson (20) .

Jemson is a student of Manipur College.

On the other hand, Leishangthem Pratap Meitei (48) s/o L Ibohanbi of Thangmeiband Sinam Leikai and Laishram Gunindro (38) s/o L Surchand of Thangmeiband Lourungpurel Leikai started fasting on the same issue at a waiting shed, opposite to THAU Ground since yesterday.

Both of them are members of the Thangmeiband United Club (TUC).

Pratap decried that the Government has been little heed to the mass protest movements.

It has been quite a long time since students have been denied education.

"I decided to fast unto death agitation to open the eyes of the Government", Pratap said.

If the State Government, the Governor and the Central Government still refuse to address the popular demand, the Government would be definitely taught a befitting lesson.

All kinds of protest movements may be called off if all the 58 MLAs including the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister resign, he said.

A large number of Meira Paibis extended solidarity to the two hunger strikers by staging a protest demonstration at the same venue where they are fasting.

On the other hand, A police team in civvies have arrested all the five students, who have been staging indefinite hunger strike demanding implementation of ILPS in the State, from Ananda Singh Higher Secondary Academy gate today.

The five students - Loitongbam Bidyalakshmi, Oinam Suresh, Dayananda Lairikyengbam, Surjit Sagolsem and Thoudam Mukesh, have been on indefinite hunger strike since August 14 .

According to local meira paibis, a team of police in civvies attempted to arrest the five students at around 1 am today.

As the students alerted the locals when the police team started dragging them inside their vehicle, locals tried to stop them.

In the melee, Lamlong Higher Secondary Students Union general secretary, Thoudam Mukesh escaped from the police by jumping down from the police vehicle.

However, police forcibly took other four students including a girl student away.

Mukesh was however arrested by police in the afternoon.