Guwahati: More than 50 students were injured when they tried to march towards Raj Bhawan in Manipur capital Imphal for the second day on Tuesday during their protest demanding removal of DGP and the Centre's security advisor Kuldiep Singh posted in the conflict-torn state.
As the situation turned worse, the state home department suspended mobile and broadband internet for five days in the Meitei-dominated Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Churachandpur and Kakching districts. Curfew was also clamped in Imphal West, Imphal East and Thoubal.
Police and Rapid Action Force personnel were compelled to fire tear gas and use batons as the students defied their repeated appeals against resorting to violence. Sources said the students, many in uniforms, pelted stones at the security forces and tried to march towards Raj Bhawan, when they were confronted on Tuesday afternoon.
The injured were rushed to Regional Institute of Medical Sciences at Imphal, while Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya met a delegation of the protesting students on Tuesday evening. The students later met CM N. Biren Singh, sources said.
On Monday, the students pelted stones targeting Raj Bhawan and many resorted to violence in Thoubal and Imphal West district, following which the forces fired tear gas shells in which many were similarly injured. On Tuesday, the students continued protests despite the curfew in three districts including in Imphal.
The students say that the DGP Rajiv Singh and the centre's security advisor, Kuldiep Singh, a former DG of CRPF, should be removed as they "failed to take action" against Kuki militants allegedly involved in attacks on the Meiteis. Kuldiep Singh now heads the Unified Command under which the central forces operate. They also demanded rejection of the demand by Kuki organisations for a "separate administration" to end the conflict.
The students resorted to protest a day after CM Biren Singh and a few other MLAs met the Governor and sought to bring back the Unified Command under him. The Unified Command, under which the central security forces operate, is typically headed by the CM but the Centre rushed Kuldiep Singh to Manipur after the Meitei-Kuki riots escalated in May last year. At least 136 people have died since then.
Drone attack case to NIA
The inspector general of Manipur police, I K Muivah told reporters in Imphal that the police are considering handing over the case related to alleged use of drones by Kuki insurgents in an attack in Imphal West on September 1 to the NIA. At least 10 people have died in attacks in Imphal West, Bishnupur and Jiribam districts since September 1.