Protest against murder of students, brutal crackdown by SF continues
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 02 2023: Students of different Government and private institutions, and womenfolk took out a protest rally at Uripok Kangchup road against the murder of two missing students and demanded action against the security personnel who brutally assaulted student protesters a few days back.

The protesters today thronged Uripok Kangchup road at around noon holding banners, placards and proceeded towards Khwai- ramband Keithel.

They served a 24-hour ultimatum to the Government to take action against security personnel who had used excessive force against student protesters.

Protest against murder of students, brutal crackdown by SF continues

Notably, many student protesters were grievously hurt in protest demonstrations that took place after photographs of bodies of two missing students lying on the ground surfaced in social media on September 25 .

The two students, Hijam Linthoingambi (17) and Phijam Hemanjit (20) were abducted by armed Kuki militants on July 6 and suspected to have been killed on July 8 .

Photographs of the two students alive in captivity of armed Kuki men and dead surfaced on September 25 .

In the following days, thousands of students marched on the streets of Imphal and protested the brutal murder of the two fellow students. Security forces cracked down on the protesters and hurt more than 100 students.

Some of the students received pellet injuries.

Several videos of the Central security forces' brutal crackdown on the students went viral, wherein personnel were seen raining blows with batons on a student on the street.

Some personnel were seen pursuing and beating protesters inside the compounds of private residences.

Today, the student protesters and the womenfolk shouted slogans demanding befitting punishment to all the culprits involved in the murder of the two missing students.

They condemned the brutal assault on the student protesters and demanded strict action against all security personnel involved.

They raised slogans demanding implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the State at the earliest, and to identify and deport all illegal immigrants.

The protesters also demanded the Government to abrogate the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement and hold Kuki militants accountable for attacking civilians and burning villages.

One student protester said the student community vehemently condemns the cold blooded murder of the two students, Hijam Linthoingambi and Phijam Hemanjit by armed Kuki men and militants.

He urged the Government and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to arrest all the culprits involved who have not been arrested yet and conclude the investigation swiftly.

The student community and the people of the State want all culprits involved in the murder of the two students to be given stringent punishment.

They should be given capital punishment for the heinous crime, he added.

He further stated that the student community strongly condemns the use of excessive force by the security forces against unarmed protesters who were exercising their right to protest the heinous murder of two fellow students.

The security personnel fired tear gas shells, mock bombs, rubber bullets and pellet gun on the students.

The Government must take the responsibility of treating the injured students and strict actions must be taken against security personnel within 24 hours, he said.