Two students injured in confrontation with cops
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 11 2019:
At least two students sustained minor injuries after police fired several tear gas shells and smoke bombs to disperse a large number of volunteers belonging to six student bodies (AMSU, MSF, DESAM, SUK, AIMS and KSA) which launched a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016, today.
A large number of volunteers and leaders of the six student organizations, launched a protest rally today holding black flags as per the earlier announcement made by MANPAC to carry out such a protest.
The rally started from AMSU HQ located at DM College campus and proceeded towards Khoyathong.
Upon reaching Khoyathong junction, the protesters were stopped by the police personnel deployed in the area.
The police diverted the protest rally towards Nagamapal road which then headed towards Khwairamband Ima Keithel to hoist black flags in the market sheds and Shamu Makhong.
The locals residing along Nagamapal road and who were staging protest demonstrations against CAB, encouraged the protest rally of the student bodies by standing up and shouting slogans like 'Long Live Manipur', 'Down Down BJP' etc.
On reaching Uripok traffic point, the rally was prevented from going towards the Ima Keithel by a large number of Imphal West district police, 9 IRB Mahila Battalion and CRPF personnel, which led to a scuffle between the two sides and in the scuffle, the police began firing tear gas shells and smoke bombs toward the student protesters to disperse them.
However, despite the use of smoke bombs and tear gas shells, the volunteers and leaders continued their protest and marched towards Khwairamband Ima Keithel.
The womenfolk of Khwairamband Keithel, who were staging a protest demonstration in front of Ima Keithel, came up and tried to join the protest of the students but they were prevented from doing so by a large number of women police personnel of Imphal West district and Women CRPF personnel.
The heated argument between police and students continued for more than 30 minutes, in the presence of the Executive Magistrate but later, the student leaders were allowed to hoist black flags at the Keithel where a Salai Taret flag was hoisted.
Speaking to media persons after hoisting the flag, Manjit Sarangthem, president of AMSU, said that as per the announcement made by MANPAC to carry out protest holding black flags on the road, volunteers of the six student bodies took out the protest demonstration and hoisted black flags at one of the most historic places of the State in the heart of the city, at Ima Keithel in protest against the State Government's deafening silence on CAB and the apparent lack of any opposition towards the Bill.
He continued that other forms of intensified agitation will be launched until the Bill is withdrawn to save the future generation from the impact of uncontrolled influx into the State and the North East as a whole.
Manjit then appealed, on behalf of the six student bodies, to all the students of the State to surrender their Hindi text books to the Governor and the Chief Minister on February 13.If the Bill is passed, there will be no need for a Government in the State and the people of the State will start spitting on the faces of the leaders of the present State Government, he cautioned.
After hoisting a black flag in the area and at Shamu Makhong, the students further took out their protest demonstration/rally towards Sagolband and to Uripok passing Meino Leirak bridge.
They shouted various slogans along with the womenfolk of Uripok who were also staging protest demonstration by blocking the roads in their respective places up to Sakhi Devi School.
From there, the students along with womenfolk took the protest rally holding black flag up to Khwairamband Keithel and they were joined by other protesters along the road, shouting slogans like 'Go back BJP', 'Down Down BJP', 'Resign CM N Biren', 'Long Live Manipur', 'Ema Leipak Na Yaiphare' and others.
In an attempt to prevent the protesters for marching towards Khwairamband Keithel, the police put up iron barricades and as such, after reaching the traffic point, the protesters shouted slogans for some 20 minutes before heading back and concluding their protest demonstration at AMSU office.
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