Kindergarten Montessori School seeks justice for two students
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 27 2023: Phijam Hemanjit's alma mater Kindergarten Montessori School, Sagolband and the National People's Youth Front (NPYF) staged sit-in protests today condemning the cold-blooded killing of the two teenage students.

Protesting against the sadistic killing of Phijam Hemanjit and Linthoingambi Hijam by 'Kuki narco terrorists', the students, teaching and non-teaching staff of Kindergarten Montessori School staged a sit-in protest near the school gate at Sagolband Takyel Kolom Leikai today.

The protestors held many placards with messages voicing their sentiments, which include, "We condemn the killing of students", "Stop violence against students", "Where is action hero CM Biren now?", "Punish the killers", "Justice must be delivered".

Kindergarten Montessori School seeks justice for two students

Speaking by the sideline of the protest, Piyainu Khundrakpam, a student of Kindergarten Montessori School, said that the students, teaching and non-teaching staff of the school strongly condemn the brutal killing of former student Phijam Hemanjit and Linthoingambi Hijam, a student of TG Higher Secondary School.

Expressing sorrow over the inhuman act perpetrated by armed Kuki miscreants, she shared that the incident has filled the student community with anxiety and left them scarred.

She maintained that the State Government must address people's inability to move freely within their own State.

The Indian Constitution allows its citizens to move freely within the boundaries of their states but this provision has been challenged by the brutal killing of the two innocent students, she said.

Referring to the submission of an FIR to the CBI and the arrival of the CBI team today to probe the death of the students, she questioned why the FIR had not been submitted earlier when the two students remained untraceable for months.

Further, Piyainu urged the Government to dole out appropriate punishment to the culprits involved in such an inhuman act committed on members of the student community.

A team of teaching and non-teaching staff of Kindergarten Montessori School led by Principal Longjam Dhaneshwar also visited the homes of the two teenage students today and offered their condolences to the bereaved families.

Meanwhile, NPYF Manipur State president Laitonjam Jayananda has asserted that if the State Government had taken proactive action when the two students first went missing, then their lives might have been saved.

He made the remark while speaking at the NPYF sit-in protest held at Naoremthong in front of the National People's Party's office today.

NPP National vice-president Y Joykumar, former Minister N Mangi, former MLA Soibam Subhaschandra Singh and notable NPP office bearers were present at the sit-in protest.

The protestors also observed a 2-minute silence to pay their respects to the two deceased students.

Strongly condemning the 'brutish act', Laitonjam Jayananda pointed out the lack of proactive steps from the Government when the duo initially went missing.

However, when proof of their passing surfaced online, the State Government has taken up reactive measures, he said.

Despite the late hour, the NPYF president commended the State Government for handing over the case to the CBI and the arrival of the specialized CBI team including CBI Special Director to probe the killings.

However, he also questioned if the State Government will continue to resort to reactive measures until the entire Meitei population has been annihilated.

Thus, he urged the Government to formulate a proactive action plan to contain and resolve the conflict.

Further he maintained that the Kuki student community, CSOs and the Kuki intellectual class should condemn the killings and not remain as mute spectators.

Here, he recalled that the Meitei public, CSOs, student bodies and the womenfolk had widely condemned the nude viral video incident and raised the call to serve justice for the victims.

Notably, the protestors held many placards with messages such as "We don't want reactive actions from the authorities", "We condemn the killing of Phijam Hemanjit and Linthoingambi Hijam" and "We want justice" among others.