Imphal, January 20: Taking serious note of high-handedness of State police personnel and strongly condemning excesses upon its volunteers/members today, the All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) has demanded an outright public apology from the police.

Talking to media-persons ATSUM general secretary Samson Remei accused the security personnel of not only resorting to wild baton-charge against the students but also intentionally targeting its president John Pulamte who suffered a broken teeth following when a particular police officer rained blows at John.

As part of its proposed agitation programme in pursuance of demands like establishment of a separate education Directorate exclusively for hill areas and displeasure against State Government's condemnable delay in arresting and punishing the real culprits behind the murder of eight year old Lungnila Elizabeth ATSUM members and supporters had congregated in front the Johnstone Higher Secondary School today to stage sit-in-protest, said the general secretary.

However, the State law maintenance personnel taking advantage of non-possession of permission swooped down upon the agitators numbering about 40 and began to manhandle many of its members besides profusely bleeding the president, lamented Samson.

The police brutalities tantamount to suffocating the genuine demands of the student community who had only tried to highlight the grievances through peaceful and democratic means, asserted the general secretary.

There is no personal enmity between the ATSUM president and State police, said the general secretary who expressed apprehension that the police ire against John must have taken place due to some sinister designs to tarnish the image of the apex student organization of the tribal.

Such dastardly action have no place in a civilized society, observed Samson demanding a public apology from the concerned police official failing which ATSUM would be constrained to launch stern agitation.