GUWAHATI: Over 50 protesting students were injured in Manipur on Tuesday when the police used force to thwart their attempt to march to the Raj Bhavan even as the state government imposed a five-day ban on internet services in the five Imphal valley districts.The government also ordered the closure of all colleges till Thursday. Curfew was reimposed in Imphal East and Imphal West districts while prohibitory orders under section 163 BNSS were clamped in Thoubal district.One of the injured students – a girl – sustained grievous injuries, a senior government official said, adding she was admitted in the ICU of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal.For the second straight day on Tuesday, the students attempted to march to the Raj Bhavan but they were stopped on the way by security personnel. This led to scuffles and the personnel dispersed the protestors by firing tear gas shells. The students of Manipur University also took out another protest march.Security personnel fire tear gas shells during students’ protest, Imphal.The protests on Monday had turned violent when the protestors pelted stones outside the Raj Bhavan. The students are on the streets demanding the removal of state’s security advisor and director general of police for failing to protect the lives and properties of citizens. Hundreds of them have been camping at Khwairamband Women Market since Monday. In an order, the home department said internet services had been suspended “to thwart the design and activities of anti-national and anti-social elements, maintain peace and communal harmony and prevent any loss of life or danger to public/private property.”Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, who held a meeting with the representatives of students and women groups at around 6 pm on Tuesday, called for peace.“In the wake of the sudden spurt of violent incidents, Governor Shri Lakshman Prasad Acharya expressed deep concern. The Governor has said that violence is not the solution to any problem. Everyone will have to contribute and find ways to overcome this problem,” a statement issued by the Raj Bhavan said.It further stated that the governor was constantly speaking to public leaders, students and people in general. “In view of the present situation, the Hon’ble Governor has appealed to all sections of the society, student organizations and public leaders to work together to establish peace and help Manipur to scale a new height of growth and development,” the statement added.Centre sends 2,000 more CRPF personnel to stateThe Centre has directed deployment of two fresh CRPF battalions comprising about 2,000 personnel for security duties in the state.They said the move has been ordered following the withdrawal of two Assam Rifles battalions from Manipur for operational duties in Jammu and Kashmir and some other parts of the Northeast.Additionally, 16 battalions of the force already present in the state following the violence last year, completed the establishment of their operational bases in Imphal West, Imphal East, Churachandpur, Noney, Jiribam, Kangpokpi, Bishnupur last week, the sources said.There were about 10-11 battalions of the force in Manipur before the violence broke out.”The CRPF will have a lead role in Manipur. Fresh units of the force were rushed to the state since the violence broke out between Meitei and Kuki people last year in May and the force is now being strengthened so that decision-making is better,” a top security officer told PTI.Manipur CM meets Governor again, demands control of unified command amid fresh violence
Source link
