Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 12:
Taking the demand to restore their right to education to a higher plane, three students, including one girl, of Government aided colleges have threatened to self immolate themselves.
The three students who have set a date with self immolation are the vice president of the All Manipur Government Aided College Students' Union Longjam Kanta (24) of Wangoi Longjam Leikai, general secretary of the student body Yumnam Bijoy (22) of Heingang Awang Leikai and publicity secretary of the union, Kh Jibanlata (22) of Chingmeirong East.
Yumnam Bijoy and Kh Jibanlata are studying in BSc III year at Liberal College, Luwangshangbam.
The three have threatened to self immolate either in front of Raj Bhawan or in front of the CM's official residence tomorrow morning.
The act may be carried out together or separately.
Talking to newsmen today, the three students said that they have taken the decision to self immolate to assert the rights of students to education and to ensure the security of the younger students.
Kanta said that they took the extreme decision as all their earlier democratic mode of demand to restore their rights to education have fallen on deaf ears.
It is three months now since students of aided colleges have been denied their right to education, he added.
Earlier in the day, police lathi charged and dispersed a large group of aided college students who had gone to submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister.
The students who came from the side of Moirangkhom were stopped by the police near the Imphal West police station and told to go back.
As there was a stand off police resorted to lathi charge and in the process a number of students were hurt.
Some had to be hospitalised while another fainted at the spot.
The students who were hurt in the lathi charge are S Maniton (Class XII Kakching Khunou college) and L Amar of the same college and class.
Another student S Amarjit was also injured.
After the students were pushed back to Moirangkhom, they again regrouped and raising slogans demanding their right and courting arrest, the students again tried to make their way to the CM's bungalow.
Police again swung into action and used water hoses to drive back the students.
The force of the gushing water fell many students, including girls on the road injuring a number of students.
The injured include, Kh Premlata (Class XII, Kakching Khunou), Kh Bijenti (BSc II year, Kakching Khunou college), Th Nirmala (Class XII, Kakching Khunou college), Kh Inakhunbi (Class XI, Kakching Khunou college), Kh Elizabeth (Class XI, Kakching Khunou college).