After pictures of the two missing students after the post the violence surfaced online on Monday, September 25, clashes erupted in Manipur's capital city, Imphal. According to PTI, more than 30 students, mostly girls, were injured in the clash after the police fired tear gas shells and baton-charged a mob protesting against the killing of the youth who were allegedly kidnapped in July.
Students charged at the protest
The students from the schools and colleges of Imphal brought out the protest rallies hours after the photos went viral on social media. The students were demanding the arrest of those who were involved in the killing.
The protesters clashed with the police near Sanjenthong in Imphal East district when security forces stopped them from advancing towards the chief minister's secretariat and used tear gas shells and batons to disperse the agitators.
Similar clashes were also reported between students and security forces from different districts of Imphal such as Thoubal, Kakching and Bishnupur.
According to a student who was protesting, the government is reluctant to take action as the location of the bodies where they are buried is still unknown.
The Chief Minister of Manipur, Biren Singh, had assured that swift action would be taken against those who were involved in the killing of the students.
Internet ban imposed again
Following the clash, the Manipur Government reimposed the ban on internet services for the next five days, on September 26, reports PTI.
Mobile internet services that were suspended as ethnic violence erupted in the state in early May were restored after over four months from September 23.
A notification released by the government said, "The state government decides to suspend/curb the mobile internet data services, internet/data services through VPN in the territorial jurisdiction of the state of Manipur for five days with immediate effect till 7:45 pm of October 1, 2023."
Till now, more than 175 people have been killed and several were left injured since May 3, when a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
