Over 170 hurt in RAF-led crackdown on student protesters
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 27 2023: Around 175 students sustained injuries as security forces including RAF and police fired tear gas shell and live rounds issued to RAF) on the protesting students demanding justice for the murdered students Hemanjit and Linthoingambi in different parts of the state on Wednesday.

RAF and police personnel fired tear gas shells and pellet guns on the student protestors at Yaiskul and in front of Kangla injuring many of them.

The students who sustained injuries were rushed to different hospitals for treatment.

Out of the 175 injured students, three have been admitted in JNIMS, 19 at Kripadashini Advanced hospital, 53 at Advanced Hospital, 35 at Raj Medicity, six at Shija Hospitals and 59 at RIMS hospital.

Most of the students got injured in tear gas shelling and bring of barrel guns issued to RAF.

A total of 59 students including females were brought to RIMS for treatment with five suffering pellet wounds.

They are Manipur College student Limeson Thokchom (19) of Sekmaijin (injured on head), Naorem Birahari College student Thokchom Mani (18) of Heingang Mayai Leikai (ear and head), DM College of Science students Oinam Nongdamba (23) of Keibi, Wangthoiba Wangkhem (19) of Yaiskul and Laishram Rohit (20) of Shantipur, Mayang Imphal.

Out of the 53 students in Advanced Hospital, four were injured by pellets.

They are EK Higher Secondary School student Kingson Nongthombam, CC Higher Secondary School student Tongbram Suresh, IMA student Borish Nongmaithem and Lamlai Higher Secondary School student Samom Goro.

Three students namely Loitongbam Kishan Singh (16) (shoulder), Oinam Sunder (17) and Laishram Biswanath (17) (legs) out of the six students brought to Shija Hospitals sustained pellet injuries fired by RAF while 35 students brought to Raj Medicity included six with pellet injuries.

Thokchom Johnson (18) got hit on his stomach, leg and both hands, Chingkheinganba Kshetrimayum (18) (chest), Kingson (most part of his body), Tourangbam Pareihanba (20) (eye), Langam Romakanta Singh (elbow) and Samom Goro (referred from Advanced Hospital) on his chest, head and leg.

Even after the state government declared holiday for schools and college keeping in view of volatile law and order situation in the wake of the viral photos of two students, who were killed after kidnapping in a Kuki village, large number of students of several schools and colleges came in uniform and organised protest marches.

A group of students gathered at HAO Ground at Pishum on Wednesday around 9.30 am and took out a march towards the CM's secretariat.

Security forces stopped them near Krishna Premi oil pump where water cannon vehicles were stationed.

From there, 10 students came forward and spoke with Imphal West SP telling him that they came to submit memorandum to the CM and Governor.

The SP told them that the Governor is out of station and that only a small number of students can go and submit the memorandum to the CM.

As a group of 20 students were preparing to move forward, there was a delay as the students were sorting out difference of opinion regarding some points to be incorporated in the memorandum.

In the meantime, some students marched up to the barricades and shouted slogans.

As the number of student protestors swelled, security forces used tear gas shells and smoke bombs to disperse the student resulting in several students getting injured.

Later, the SP allowed 30 students to meet the CM.

After meeting the CM, students told media persons that they submitted a memorandum with several demands which include identification and arrest of the culprits behind the murder of the two students within three days, stop using excessive force against student protestors, recover and hand over the bodies of the two students to the family members within three days, stop partisan conduct of central security forces, and lift the ban on mobile internet service.

The memorandum also demanded the CM to go to Delhi and take up necessary measures to resolve the crisis within three days.

The students further said that the CM seems to be agitated on seeing the demands and added that they will launch different forms of stir if the government fails to fulfil their demands.

"We are holding a peaceful protest against the kidnapping and killing of fellow students and we have asked everyone to wear black badges as a mark of protest," said Thokchom Khogendro Singh, a student leader.

Young men and women were seen shouting slogans as they marched in from various places, many of them holding placards protesting the killing of two students who had gone missing in July and pictures of whose bodies surfaced recently sparking outrage.

Earlier, after coming out from the CM's secretariat, the student representatives met with some students,waiting for them near Kanglapat footpath.

As there was sound of firing tear gas and smoke bombs coming from Moirangkhom side, the students proceeded again towards the CM's bungalow shouting slogans.

Police stopped them near Nupilal Complex and made them to move towards HAO ground for a joint meeting with the protestors.

Instead of going to Hao ground, the students came towards Moirangkhom through Keishamthong.

Security forces deployed in thearea warned them to stop and fired tear gas and smoke bombs as they continued to move forward.

On the other hand, more students and civilians came from Singjamei side towards Moirangkhom and some of them used slingshots and pelted stones towards the security forces.

Later, Meira Paibi members came out and pacified the protestors.

As they were talking with security forces, some protestors used sling shots, which was responded with tear gas and smoke bombs by the security forces.

Confrontation between protestors and security forces continued till late night.

Protestors also burned a Maruti Gypsy of SDPO Porompat and snatched a mob control gun in Loklaobung area around 8 pm.

In Bishnupur district, a rally was organised by six student bodies on Wednesday from the Forest Gate till Mini Secretariat Complex, Bishnupur which was participated by students and meira paibi activists of the district.

The rallyists congregated at DC Bishnupur office gate with a memorandum for deputy commissioner L Bikram demanding stringent punishment to murderers and opening of education institutions.

Some of the protestors were allowed to meet the DC accompanied by the police and ADM H Bobby Sharma.

Speaking to media persons after meeting the DC, the student leaders raised posers to the DC as to why no arrest has been made in connection with the case and whether rule of law is only applicable in valley areas.

They also threatened to launch intense movement in case the assurance given by the DC Is not translated into action.

On the other hand, a human chain was formed by students of Jawaharlal Navodaya Vidyalaya, Bishnupur along Tong-jei Maril (Old Cachar road) on.

Wednesday demanding action against killers of two students and resumption of normal class.

Sit-in protest and mass meeting were also held at Oinam Bazar and Ningthoukhong Bazar on Wednesday to denounce the killing while in Thoubal district a protest rally organised by six student bodies demanded justice to the murdered students.

The rally turned violent after it reached DC Thoubal Office with mobs damaging the gate and resorting to stone pelting.

The mob damaged the main gate, sentry post and some vehicles parked inside the DC office complex, SBI Thoubal Branch and District Treasury Office buildings.

Relentless stones pelting and use of slingshots by the mob also destroyed windows and doors of the DC's Bungalow inside the complex.

Thoubal SP Sachidananda Soibam, additional SP (Ops) Wangkhomba Okramcha, Thoubal police station OC Sudhir and personnel of Thoubal Police and BSF suffered injured during the violence with two journalists also getting hit on their chest in stone pelting.

In response, police fired tear gas shells and rubber bullets causing injuring to around 17 students.

Earlier in the day, despitegovernment order to close schools numerous students showed up at their respective institutes and took out rallies from Thoubal and Khangabok enroute to the gate of DC Office but were stopped by police and BSF personnel.

Some of the protesters were allowed to meet DC A Subhash and place their demand including arrest of the culprits involved in killing the two students within 48-hour and allowing students to attend classes.

Though the student representative conveyed outcome of the talks the crowd was not satisfied and demanded that the DC himself give the assurance.

As their demands went unheeded, the mob started pelting stones and the violence erupted.

On the other hand, another mob burned down the BJP Thoubal Office on Wednesday to protest alleged silence of the government over murder of the two students by Kuki militant.

Large numbers of people from various parts of the Thoubal district also stormed and set on fire the BJP Thoubal Office at Khongjom.

Two persons suffered injuries as an LPG cylinder kept at the office exploded.

Later, the mob moved towards Wangjing and vandalised the BJP Wangjing Tentha Mandal office.

On the other hand, a sit-in protest was organised by meira paibi activists of Thoubal Wangmataba Doctor Maning and Social Service & Welfare Association (SSAWA) Club at Wangmataba Magic Parking on Wednesday against the killing of two students while a rally was taken out by students and meira paibi activists at Kakching on Wednesday.

The rally organised by six student passed through Kakching Keithel and culminated at DC Kakching Office with submission of a memorandum to DC Somorjit Salam.

Similarly, protest rally and sit-ins were staged at Langmeidong and Hiyanglam Wabagai Lamkhai Keithel on Wednesday.

Mention may be made that clash broke out on Tuesday between RAF personnel and locals protesting the killing of two students, who had been missing since July 6, prompting the law enforcers to lob tear gas shells and fire rubber bullets at the agitators and baton-charge them, leaving 45 of the protesters, mostly students, injured.

Although the state government has declared a holiday for schools on Wednesday, students of some Imphal-based institutions vowed to congregate at their schools.

Following the clashes, the state government has re-imposed a ban on internet mobile services with immediate effect till 7.45 pm of October 1 to prevent the spread of misinformation and rumours.

It was recently lifted after more than four months of imposition on May 3 when the ethnic clashes began.

The state government has declared a holiday for schools on September 27 and 29 in view of the prevailing law and order situation, with September 28 being a public holiday in view of Milad Un-Nabi (Prophet Muhammad's birthday) .

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