Four students injured in police action

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Sept 19

Activist of All Manipur Student Union (AMSU) stormed at Minority and Other Backward Classes (MOBC) department today at around 12.30 pm, where four students got injured during police lathi charge and another four were attested.

Demanding to sanction the pending OBC scholarship for 2015-16 and 2016-17, a large number of students came to meet director of MOBC, Kh. Dineshchandra while staging a silent rally protest. 

However, the security guards at the gate of the building blocked the students. The police tried to negotiate with the students but failed, following which the latter broke into the office premises.

The security guards again shut down the collapsible gate of the building in order to avoid the students from entering MOBC department. Later, more police personnel arrived at the spot to control the outraged students, who were denied to meet the director.

Meanwhile, one of the police personnel started firing mock bomb towards the students and started lathi charge irrespective of girl or boy students. A few students fled out and pelted stones towards the police personnel.

AMSU president Manjit came down heavily against the act of police personnel of indiscriminately firing mock bomb and lathi charge towards the students who were protesting against rightful demands.

Four students were injured during the lathi charge. Bronson, first semester student of Physical Education of DM College and Jeson, Class IX student of CC Higher Secondary School were injured on their heads, while Motion and Island, Class IX students of CC Higher Secondary School were injured on their limbs.

Glass windowpane of the building and a rear window glass pane of a Suzuki Alto K10 car were damaged during the clash. Four students were arrested namely Thounaojam Joykisan Singh of DM College of Science, Rimakan Wangkheimayum, vice-president, AMSU Imphal West district committee, Samson Longjam, general secretary of CC Higher Secondary School and Sorokhaibam Venish of CC Higher Secondary School. The four students were released unconditionally later in the evening.

After the incident, a press meet was held at the head office of AMSU, located at DM college campus.

Speaking to media person, president of AMSU, Manjit Sarangthem said that the peace rally was organised to meet the director of MOBC and other concerned officials, to talk about their demands to sanction the pending OBC scholarship.

He said applications have been submitted to the officials concerned many times and AMSU volunteers have also met the nodal officers regarding the issue.

AMSU had earlier fixed date on July 5 for issuing the scholarship but instead of issuing the scholarship, the department made false promises. However, scholarships for schedule caste and schedule tribe under the ministry of Minority Affairs and Ministry of Social Justice are issued every year without any delay, added Manjit.

Manjit also said that it is likely that the director, nodal officers of the department and some ministers concerned are misusing with the scholarship money of OBC and minority for their own benefits.   

The government has been neglecting to take enquiry reports against the director who has been in director post since the MOBC department was established in 1992, stated Manjit.

The president of AMSU demanded the government to take up enquiry reports against the officials who are involved in the scam and punish if found guilty. He also demanded the state government to withdraw the director from his post and find a solution to sanction the pending scholarships to the respective students at the earliest.