Manipur Police disperse student protesters, “Will continue our protest until ATSUM leaders are set free” says TSU

Imphal: Manipur Police dispersed tribal student protesters with tear gas shells; as many as 30 protestors and three police personnel were injured during stone clash on Saturday, here.

Demanding to release five All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) leaders and decrying against the lock down of ATSUM head office, All College Tribal Students’ Union Imphal issued a notification on Friday stating that the members of Tribal Students Union (TSU) of all the colleges and Joint Tribal Students Union of all the higher secondary schools in Imphal to support a protest in connection with the demands.

In the notification it was mentioned that executive members of TSU who failed to turn up will be fined a sum of Rs 1,000. The reporting in the notification was mentioned as 10 am on Saturday at Adimjati Basket Ball court.

Since early morning Manipur police had been securing the Adimjati campus as preventive measures to avoid from social gathering as Imphal West DC had issued an order to imposed CrPC 144 in the entire area of Imphal West district with effect from 6.30 pm of Thursday.

At around 9.30 am protestor started a gathering at Mao-Imphal Market, Kabow Leikai near MBC church, which is around 100 metre distance south from Adimjati, Imphal.

Speaking on the sideline of the gathering, social and cultural secretary of TSU, DM colleges of Arts, Ningjam Jajo told reporters that whenever issues of tribal occurred in Manipur, the state government arrested the tribal leaders.

Regarding an issue in connection with ADC bill, five tribal leaders were arrested by the Manipur Police.

On Friday more than 100 of protestor came and lock down the head office of ATSUM located at Adimjati while DC, Imphal West has already imposed CrpC 144 in the entire district.

Where were the police when hundreds of protestors came and lock down the head office of ATSUM? Jajo asked.

The protest will be continued until the arrested ATSUM leaders are released,  he added and warned the state government that it should bear the consequences.

At around 10 am additional force of Manipur police rushed to the spot and asked the protestors to produce permission for social gathering from the officials concerned. When the protestor failed to produce the permission, police started dispersing the protestors. Confrontation took place between police personnel and the protestors. To control the protestor the police personnel hurled tear gas shell towards the protestor.

The protestor tried to head towards Manipur Legislative Assembly road and near the opposite of Manipur Legislative Assembly gate number 1. Police blocked the protestors and the protestors headed towards Dewlahland opposite to Mao-Imphal market.

When the police personnel tried to disperse some of the protestors started pelting stones towards the police personnel. The police also returned with stones and tear gas shells along with mock bombs towards the protestor.

Police detained at least 3 protestors, who was later set free.

Meanwhile, one of the leader of a tribal students’ body in social media mentioned that locking of head office of ATSUM by Meitei Leepun will be taken as direct challenge to the tribals of Manipur. The demands of tribal students are not to accuse any community of Manipur but demanding for constitutional rights.

In the video clip it said, “The locking of ATSUM head office was conducted in conspiracy with the state government. The act reflects the true colour of state government, repressing, suppressing the tribal population.”