Imphal, November 17 2009: Students of DM College of Arts staying in the boys' hostel have been bullied and intimidated by commandos last night.

Some police commandos barged into the hostel at about 9 pm yesterday and woke up the students.

Using threatening words, the commandos asked the students to bring out guns.

Taking strong exception to the high-handed conduct of the police commandos and the unnecessary harassment meted out to the hostellers, students of the college staged a protest demonstration today.

They have set an ultimatum for the Education Minister and responsible police officers to come out with a concrete assurance not to allow such arrogant conduct of police commandos ever again by noon tomorrow.

They have also decided to leave the hostel tomorrow itself in case no such assurance comes forth before the deadline.

The police commandos reportedly barged into the hostel after breaking open lock of the hostel gate.

Then they entered the hostel rooms and bullied the students.

One Khatsolo Lasuch of Jessami, Ukhrul district, now reading in BA second year at DM College of Arts was terrified when commandos shook his body and woke him up while he was first asleep.

Recounting the nightmarish incident, Khatsolo said that he was sleeping alone in the room when was suddenly awakened by gun wielding police commandos.

"But I could not grasp what they were saying as I could not understand Meiteilon very little", Khatsolo.

Talking about the incident, general secretary of DM College of Arts Students' Union M Santosh said that the police commandos asked the students to bring out weapons/guns.

The students were also asked to put on clothes and to go to their vehicles.

The commandos went on harassing the students for almost an hour, Santosh decried.

They also derided Hostel Warden RK Sanahal calling him 'chowkidar' even after he identified himself.

At the time of the incident, there were 40 students in the hostel.

They returned back to the hostel only a few days back following a decision to re-open the college after a prolonged closure due to class boycott, Santosh said.

Students staying in the hostels of DM College of Science, DM College of Arts, DM College of Commerce and GP Women's College have decided to leave their hostels in case the Education Minister and the higher authority of police Dept failed to give an assurance not to allow such incidents in future.

Decrying the unwarranted harassment meted out to their colleagues by police commandos, students of DM College of Science, DM College of Arts, DM College of Commerce and GP Women's College staged a protest demonstration at the hostel gate of DM College of Arts.

After the incident, a team of Imphal West commandos led by an ASI told the College Principal and students to settle the matter at a meeting with the SP, Santosh conveyed.

Principal Kh Ibocha lamented that there were instances of similar incidents within the college campus in the past too.

He indicated that what the students desire is a concrete assurance from the DGP.

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