– Abdul Halim
IMPHAL, Manipur, 27 Sep: In yesterday’s protest against the murder of two Meitei students in Imphal, more than 50 students, including two Muslim students, Khulakpam Marjina of T.G Higher Secondary School and Zahir Khan of D.M College of Science, were injured. One police officer, Md Riyajuddin, is also reported injured.
The protest was sparked by the release of photos depicting the killing of two Meitei students.
Thousands of uniformed school students made to the streets of Imphal, aiming to storm the Chief Minister’s Bangalow situated in the city’s high security zone.
The two Meitei students – 20-year-old boy and 17-year-old girl – were reported missing on July 6, 78 days before. Both the students left home to attend NEET classes when curfew was relaxed for a few hours. Students and parents in Manipur, especially in Imphal, rush for education during the few hours free from the frequent general strikes, shutdowns, rallies, protests under the ever-present risk of firings, sudden curfews, and teargas shells.
There have been many protests and demands for their whereabouts during these long 78 days. On Monday, photos of their bodies slumped on the ground in what seems to be a militants’ camp surfaced.
During the ongoing violence in BJP-ruled Manipur, a pattern seems to be emerging: new incidents of violence or surfacing of photos of violence after a few days of violence.
