Students injured in pellet gun firing during protests against the killing of two teenagers in Manipur

The use of pellet guns, for which the security forces had drawn much flak in Jammu and Kashmir earlier, has now become a worry in conflict-hit Manipur where some of the students sustained pellet injuries during protests that have been raging since Tuesday, September 26, against the killing of two teenagers.

Doctors treating some of the injured persons told DH that they removed pellets from some who sustained serious injuries on their shoulders and eyes due to pellet gun firing.

"One such injured person got a serious injury on his right shoulder as he was shot from a close range. The pellet injury is so serious that his shoulder has stopped functioning. He may take a long time to recover," Indranil Dutta, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Shija Hospitals, a private hospital in Imphal told DH over phone from Imphal on Friday evening.

"The facial bones of another injured person got fractured due to pellet gun injuries caused by firing from a close range," he said. Dutta came across five to eight injured persons on Wednesday evening and some of them had pellet injuries. "I can't comment whether they are students or not. But they are young people," he said.

Sources said the youth who sustained serious injuries on his right shoulder is Loitongbam Kishan, a 17-year Class 12 student.

Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley has remained on the edge since Tuesday due to strong protests over the killing of two Meitei students, who remained missing since July 6.

Angry students spilled onto the streets after two photographs of Phijam Hemjit (20) a boy and Hijam Linthoingambi (17), a girl, were shared on social media. The photographs indicated that they were killed in an undisclosed place. It is suspected that "miscreants" belonging to the Kuki community killed the two students. The CBI is investigating the incident.

The ban on mobile internet and curfew were reimposed as the protests grew. Security forces, particularly the Rapid Action Force (RAF) of the CRPF resorted to firing tear gas shells in order to control the protesters. Several Meitei organisations alleged that the security forces adopted "brutal means" by using pellet guns, tear gas shells, pepper sprays and batons against the protesting students as well.

Sources said that over 200 students were injured in action by security forces during the protests since Tuesday and at least 10 of them got pellet injuries.

Coordination Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a forum of organizations representing the Meiteis on Thursday demanded strong action against such "excess" by the RAF and other central security forces against the protesting students.

As the voice against alleged excess got louder, Manipur police set up a committee headed by an IGP to carry out an inquiry into the allegations. Manipur police on Thursday convened a meeting in which the central forces were asked to use "minimum force" to control the protesters, particularly students. Police said that miscreants taking advantage of the situation, however, would be dealt with sternly.

Taking note of the allegations, the Manipur State Commission for Protection of Child Rights said that the strategy and approach for controlling young students and children protestors must be different from adult protestors. In an appeal, the commission said that lathi charge, tear gas shells and rubber bullets should not be used arbitrarily and abruptly against the children.