IMPHAL, May 30: A large number of students from different schools staged a protest rally demanding implementation of Inner Line Permit System in Manipur along Imphal-Ukhrul road and later formed a human chain at Lamlong Keithel and raised slogans. At the same time, two students of Ibotonsana Girls’ Hr Sec School were reported to have sustained injuries and taken to hospital in a clash with police along Tiddim road at Kwakeithel.
Students numbering more than 200 from Prim Rose English School of Khabeisoi, Success School of Khurai Salanthong and KT and S School of Khurai Chairenthong participated in the mass rally which was endorsed by local meira paibis and volunteers of the area. After marching towards the residence of local MLA of Wangkhei Assembly Constituency from Khabeisoi, police personnel stopped the student protesters at Khurai Laiwangma and forced them to return.
Later the students formed a human chain and raised a number of slogans including immediate implementation of Inner Line Permit System in Manipur and unconditional release of arrested students. Meanwhile, supporting the call of JCILPS to launch any form of agitation from today, a large number of people enforced road block at different parts of the State capital causing serious inconveniences to commuters. Protesters burned tyres and placed wooden logs blocking any form of vehicular movements at Khoyathong, Chingmeirong, Khongnang Ani Karak, Lamlong Keithel, Wangkhei Kongba road and Ananda Singh Hr Sec school areas.
On the other hand students from different schools staged a protest at Kwakeithel area blocking Tiddim road this evening. All traffic including military vehicles were blocked. A large police force including women personnel tried to intimidate protesters and drive them away, but it proved futile. Police tried to talk with representatives of the students and locals but came to no conclusion. Even after repeated warning from the police, the students did not budge. Police resorted to firing tear gas shells and mock bombs after giving three minutes to clear the blockade. Protesters retaliated with stones and sling shots.
Later the mob was cleared after both sides clashed for almost ten minutes. Two students from Ibotonsana Girls’ Hr Sec School were reported to have sustained injuries and taken to hospital. The wind shields of vehicles of Singjamei PS OC and Imphal West Women Police OC were damaged in a confrontation between police and students of various schools from Kakwa to Canchipur area including some locals of Kakwa area today at around 12.30 noon.
Students of various schools along NH 2 from Kakwa took out a protest rally along the road demanding the Inner Line Permit System in the State and also conversion of the three Bills passed by the State Legislative Assembly last year into Acts. The rallyists were heading towards Singjamei when they were stopped by a team of Singjamei police station led by OC Ingocha including a women police personnel of Imphal West district near Singjamei PS. The police asked the students to return to their respective schools and told them not to move forward from that place.
The students stopped at that point and shouted slogans like “We condemn the arrest of students,” “we want ILP,” “we demand ILP,” “convert the three Bills into Acts,” “Implement the three Bills at the earliest,” “remove the names of non locals from the voter lists,” etc. While the police personnel were trying hard to send the protesters back, some locals who were coming towards Kakwa side from Canchipur pelted stones at them. After taking a written order from the Duty Magistrate on spot to disperse the student agitators, police threw smoke bombs to disperse the students.
Soon later, students and some locals pelted stones towards the police personnel while police retaliated by firing several rounds of tear gas shells. During the incident, three students fainted and were rushed to the hospital for treatment. Students along with some locals later gathered near Kakwa Cinema Hall and blocked the movement of traffic along the road. The protesters even blocked school buses. When the police rushed to clear the road the student protesters and locals pelted stones at the vehicles of OC of Singjamei PS and OC of Women PS, Imphal West. The wind shields of the vehicles were damaged. However, the OCs escaped unhurt.
