IMPHAL | Sept 21 (IFP): Police crackdown on MU to conduct search and verification operations at Manipur University (MU) boys’ hostel during the wee hour today lead to confrontations between the hostellers and the security forces. In all 11 boy hostellers were injured.
Police conducted search operations at five MU boys hostel today at about 12:30 am.
Speaking to media persons, a hosteller of hostel number 3 said attempts are being made to convert MU educational zone into military zone.
Examination of second and fourth semester have begun and how can students study in this environment, he questioned. Government should take necessary steps to make the university an educational zone as it should be, he added.
In the early morning today at about 8 am, no one was allowed to enter the university campus as it was guarded by police personnel. Even media persons were not allowed the campus.
Meanwhile, women members of various organisations came and asked the police personnel to let them enter inside the campus but they were blocked at university main gate.
Women folks and police confronted at university main gate as they demanded entry inside the campus to see the injured hostellers.
Speaking to media persons, vice-president of Apunba Manipur Kanba Imma Lup (AMKIL), Lourengbam (O) Nganbi said women folks condemn the act of pro vice-chancellor, K. Yugindro Singh. She questioned why he lodged FIR against the MU community, and why the government cannot take any action against him. She further questioned if the state government is under Yugindro and A.P. Pandey. What are the hidden agendas behind blocking the people, even the media persons from entering inside the campus, she added.
Later, the media persons were allowed to enter the campus.
During the confrontation at midnight, police fired tear gas shells and mock bombs and at least 11 hostellers were injured. They are Saikhom Sanahanba from Economics department, Ningthoujam Bharat Bhusan from Computer Science department, Elangbam Priyokumar from English department, Chongtham Bupendro from Adult Education department, Rocky from Adult Education department, Jackson from Physics department, Maisnam Premkumar from Mathematics department (PhD scholar), L. Renold Singh from Economics department and some students.
According to the care taker of boys hostel no. 5, about 55 hostellers from the said hostel are still untraceable.
89 students and six teachers of MU arrested on charge of manhandling pro vice-chancellor
IMPHAL | Sept 21 : Police have arrested 89 students and six teachers of Manipur University following a police complaint lodged by pro vice-chancellor, K. Yugindro at Singjamei police station against 31 teachers and students of the varsity.
The complaint stated that Yugindro was manhandled by the students and teachers of the university yesterday while he was coming to the varsity to take charge as vice-chancellor following an order passed by the HRD ministry on September 19.
While police tried to arrest the students from the boy’s hostels during the intervening night of yesterday and today, clashes took place between the students and the state police. Police fired few rounds of tear gas shell and used mock bomb to overcome the confrontation and to make the arrest. At least 11 students got injured during the clashes.
Since yesterday mid-night no trespassing was allowed in the campus while the hostellers were kept confined in their hostels and large number of security forces including the central forces were deployed at the gate of the boy’s hostels inside the varsity campus.
In the morning, members of various civil organisations came to the varsity to meet the students in the campus but police did not allow them to enter the varsity campus at the first instant. As pressures mounted, few representatives were allow to meet the students.
As the issue has become sensitive, the state government has shut down the mobile internet services for five days.
“Last night, police assaulted many students and even fired tear gas shell inside the hostel room,” said one of the hostellers.
“Such violent act of police inside the hostels of a university is intolerable and inhuman. We condemned the incident most vehemently,” he added.
Addressing a press conference today at Imphal police station, IGP, L. Kailun said the mobile internet service will be opened after the situation is improved. He said the professor made a complaint alleging of assault and restrain upon him by members of teachers’ association and students’ union of the varsity when he visited the university campus to resume his duty as vice-chancellor.
Police conducted the raid yesterday with the permission of the varsity authority and also in presence of a magistrate following the complaint lodged by Yugindro, said the IGP. Tear gas shells were fired as minimal force to control the stone pelting by the students to police and to overcome the confrontation and make the arrest, he added.
All the arrested individuals will be released except the 31 students and teachers whose names are included in the FIR, continued the IGP.
Kailun appealed the students of the university that normalcy must return so as to maintain the academic atmosphere with no loss of academic year especially for those who are having examinations.
On the other hand, Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has termed the state action as ‘dictatorial’ and demanded immediate release of the arrested students and teachers.
Speaking to media persons today at the BT Road office of MPCC, former chief minister, O. Ibobi said that the committee strongly condemned the raid inside the university and dictatorship of the BJP led government is intolerable in this democratic country.
Former deputy chief minister, Gaikhangam supplemented that, “The act of security forces on the varsity campus is a challenge to democracy which is more serious than declaration of emergency in the state. This reign of terror must be stopped. No force can stand against people’s voice.”
Meanwhile, five professors and 10 students among the 95 arrested individuals were produced before the chief judicial magistrate, Imphal West. They were not ready to file any bail application before the court.