MHRC visits, soothes injured students
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 04 2023:
Manipur Human Rights Commission Chairperson UB Saha visited injured students and enquired about their conditions at several hospitals today.
The students were injured in recent security forces' brutal crackdowns on protesters who were demanding justice for the two murdered missing students.
Chairperson Justice UB Saha was accompanied by MHRC Member KK Singh, Secretary Haobam Rosita and Law Officer W Basantakumar.
Notably, on Tuesday, the MHRC while hearing a case related to the incidents had said that the Commission may physically see the injured persons, if any of them is presently in hospital in Imphal.
The MHRC team first met Wahengbam Jotin (14) of Arapti Mayai Leikai who is undergoing treatment at Raj Medicity.
Jotin's family alleged that he got hit in his abdomen due to firing by police personnel from Singjamei police station.
Jotin's mother informed that she has been given a compensation of Rs 50,000 by the State Government.
The MHRC then visited Shija Hospital where Loitangbam Kishan (17) of Angtha and Mayanglambam Johnson (24) of Top Khongnangkhong who sustained injuries on September 27 in security forces' action.
Kishan alleged that RAF personnel fired pellet gun from a close range.
On enquiry, a doctor who does not want to be named said that "seeing the nature of the injuries inflicted on his body, the firing could have been done from close range" .
The doctor also informed that 60 projectiles have been removed from the body of Kishan and some projectiles are still inside his body.
The MHRC team visited Sougrakpam Iriraz at RIMS.
Iriraz sustained injury on his right leg during the protest.
A petition filed with the MHRC said Iriraz was in school uniform during the protest.
He was among 30 students who marched towards the Chief Minister's Secretariat.
He was hit by a stun grenade/tear gas.
The petition claimed that around 30 students of Johnstone Higher Secondary School, Imphal in their school uniform were marching towards Raj Bhavan and Chief Minister's Secretariat from their school campus.
Even before they could reach Raj Bhavan, they were prevented by Manipur police personnel at a place near Kanglapat, a little distance away from the foot over bridge.
The Manipur police personnel made them sit there and accordingly, the students were sitting near Kanglapat footpath opposite to M-Sector.
In utter surprise, Manipur police personnel threw stun grenade/tear gas shells towards the students without giving any warning to disperse themselves.
In the incident, more than 10 students sustained injuries and many of them were taken to Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, said the petition.