More than 40 students were injured in the protest against the killing of two students from Meitei community who went missing in July. Following the incident, the Manipur government on Tuesday again imposed a ban on internet services for the next five days.
The internet ban was imposed on May 3 after ethnic violence broke out between the Maiti and Kuki communities. Mobile internet services were restarted in the state on September 23.
The government on Tuesday ordered the closure of all schools in Manipur on September 27 and 28.
Students Hijam Lintoingambi (17) and Fizam Hemjit (20) are suspected to have been killed by Kuki militants, Imphal police said. They were last seen on July 6 at a tourist spot in Churachandpur district.
On Sunday, their photos were widely shared on social media. In one photo, two students are seen sitting next to each other and two armed men are seen standing behind them. In another photo, their bodies are seen lying on the ground, one of them decapitated.
The Manipur government said on Monday that the investigation of the case has been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation. It urged citizens to exercise restraint and allow the authorities to investigate the killing of the two students.
However, thousands of students protested in Imphal on Tuesday against the killing, despite the government’s appeal. Videos showed security forces firing lathi charges and tear gas shells to disperse the protesters.
In the evening, the protests grew louder, especially in the Singjamei area where security forces again fired teargas shells.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh assured the people of the state that the state and central governments are working closely to arrest the culprits.
