Students decry assault
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 08 2018: The joint tribal student bodies of Thadou Students' Association (TSA), Rongmei Naga Students' Organization North East India and Liangmei Naga Katimai Ruangdi (Assam, Manipur, Nagaland) have expressed discontentment with the action of Churachandpur police and Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) during the indefinite bandh called in connection with recruitment of MIL (tribal languages) teachers and restoration of normalcy in Manipur University.

A joint press release issued by the associations strongly condemned the alleged physical assault of TSA president (Kangvai block), Thangminlun Haokip, at his home at Ukhagate, Churachandpur without any reason on the morning of July 6 by some youth who came in a Gypsy and claimed to be activists of the KSO.

Seven peaceful protesters were also allegedly detained by Churachandpur police in their custody overnight on July 6.The same morning, a group of KSO volunteers led by one Letminlen, information secretary of KSO Churachandpur, drove around Kangvai area in a white Gypsy in search of the protesters and he also bragged about their activities on social medias, it alleged.

While the police action may have been a precautionary measure, the associations strongly condemned the police for not detaining the alleged KSO members who were allegedly trying to harm the student protesters.

It claimed that more than 20 KSO volunteers stormed Churachandpur PS to attack the student protesters who were detained in police custody and as such the students had to stay overnight in the police station.

Strongly condemning the police inaction in allowing KSO volunteers to attack the protesters and TSA leader, the associations wondered what connections the police have with the KSO and asked if the KSO activists in Churachandpur were deployed by the State Government to maintain law and order and attack peaceful protesters.

The associations alleged that during the bandh, the Additional SP of Churachandpur, Lunkhomang Khongsai, called up a TSA leader and talked in an offensive tone telling TSA to stop the bandh as it was not effective in Churachandpur.

It added that the bandh was strong in other hill areas of the State and there was not a single incident of police detention, violence or confrontation from any quarter.

The associations questioned why the police led by the Addl SP acted like a team with the KSO volunteers against the protesters.

Demanding the Chief Minister, who is also the Home Minister, to also take responsibility for the incidents the associations further asked why some students were detained or arrested when they have not committed any crime but some others who protested and stormed the gate of the Chief Ministers' office and those who had also imposed indefinite bandh in Manipur University are let free.

It also asked if the State Government is instigating the students to agitate in Manipur University while detaining peaceful tribal students who are only demanding restoration of normalcy in the university and recruitment of tribal MIL teachers.

It further demanded the police to immediately register an FIR and arrest all the KSO leaders and members and all others involved in the intimidation and assault of the tribal student leaders in Churachandpur on July 6 .

The associations also demanded the district Addl SP and any other policemen involved in the incident to be penalised with appropriate actions.

If the demands are not met on or before July 10, the associations will resume their agitation in an intensified manner, it added.

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