Angry students clashes, protests after 2 more die in Manipur

GUWAHATI: Hundreds of angry students clashed with police in the streets of Imphal on Monday, a day after a retired havildar and a woman died in renewed violence that has swept the roiled state since Sept 1 and claimed 11 lives.
The unrest snowballed into massive protests as the epicentre of violence shifted in front of Manipur’s Raj Bhavan, with students demanding action against those responsible for the recent attacks and resignation of top officials.
Several students were injured after police lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the protesters, who in return pelted stones, resulting in injuries to police and security forces.
A security source said the body of the ex-havildar, Limkholal Mate, a resident of Motbung in Kangpokpi district, was found in Sekmai of Imphal West district. He entered the Sekmai area on Sunday night in his car and is suspected to have been beaten to death.
Later in the evening, the tribal village of Thangbuh in Kangpokpi district, located in the foothills near Bishnupur town, was partially burnt down.
Security sources said unidentified miscreants attacked the village, prompting CRPF troops deployed there to retaliate. During the attack, a woman, identified as Nengjakhol Haokip (50), was killed by splinters from a bomb explosion triggered by the miscreants.
In response to the prevailing law and order situation, the Manipur govt ordered the closure of schools and colleges on Monday and Tuesday.
Despite this, students marched to Raj Bhavan, shouting slogans like “Long Live Manipur” and “resign all incompetent MLAs”, seeking a peaceful environment for their studies.
The students carried a banner that read, “Save Manipur for we are Indians, otherwise leave Manipur Alone”, demanding the resignations of the director general of police and the security advisor, the transfer of control of the unified command from the MHA to the chief minister, and the immediate removal of Assam Rifles and other central armed police forces from the state.
Later, the students met governor L Acharya and chief minister N Biren Singh and submitted a memorandum urging immediate action on their demands.
The students also called upon 50 MLAs of the state, excluding the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs, to announce their stance or resign.
Similar student protests were seen in Thoubal district, while in Kakching district, thousands of locals held a mass rally protesting against the recent civilian killings.
This recent surge in conflict has seen the deployment of weaponised drones and long-range crude rockets among other hi-tech gadgets.