Manipur violence : Thousands of students protest brutal killing of two Meitei teens in Imphal

Disturbing images depicting the gruesome killings of two Meitei students, who had gone missing on July 6 during the height of the ongoing crisis, have triggered a significant outcry among the student community. Thousands of students took to the streets today to condemn these brutal acts.

Beginning around 11 am, students, particularly from institutions like TG Higher Secondary School, Johnstone Higher Secondary School, Ibotonsana Higher Secondary School, and CC Higher Secondary School, participated in the protest. They attempted to march towards Raj Bhawan and later the CM's Bungalow. However, police personnel prevented them from getting closer than approximately 50 meters to Raj Bhawan. To disperse the protestors, the police fired several rounds of tear gas and smoke bombs.

The demonstrators chanted slogans such as "We want justice," "We condemn the brutal killings of innocent students," and "punish the culprits at the earliest."

One of the protestors expressed deep condemnation for the cold-blooded killing of students. They emphasized that students are innocent and should not become victims of the ongoing crisis under any circumstances. The demand was for the state government to swiftly apprehend all the culprits, with a warning that various forms of agitation would be pursued if their demands were not met.

Another female protestor, Asem Nirmala, expressed disappointment with the central government's silence despite the viral videos depicting the gruesome killings of two Meitei students. She described this silence as unfortunate and reflective of the central government's lack of seriousness regarding the Meitei community's plight.

"It is truly heart-breaking to witness the images of the brutal killings of these two innocent teenagers. The photos clearly show that they were mercilessly killed by armed Kuki miscreants. Why has the central government remained silent until now, when our children have been killed in such a cold-blooded manner?" she questioned.

Nirmala pointed out that due to massive poppy cultivation by the Kuki community, many young people had become drug addicts and lost their lives. The present crisis is once again affecting many youngsters, and the central government's failure to address the serious issue of illegal narco-terrorism raises questions about its intentions towards the Meitei community.

The protests erupted following the viral circulation of photos depicting the brutal killings of the two missing students. These distressing images were captured while the students were in captivity, allegedly by armed Kuki miscreants, and lying lifeless on the ground after being brutally killed. The shocking videos spread rapidly, sending shockwaves throughout the general population.

Many women and women vendors also joined the protest to support and stand in solidarity with the agitating students.

During the protest, as many as 40 students sustained injuries.

It is worth mentioning that the photos of the two missing students, Phijam Hemjit (20 years) and Hijam Linthoingambi (17 years), who disappeared in July 2023, have surfaced on social media platforms.