IMPHAL: As tensions run high in Manipur, especially the valley areas of the state, following the brutal ‘killing’ of two Meitei students by suspected Kuki militants, the central bureau of investigation (CBI) has decided to dispatch a special team to investigate the case.
The CBI team will be led by special director Ajay Bhatnagar and will arrive at Imphal in Manipur on Wednesday (September 27), HT reported.
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Notably, massive protests and demonstrations erupted in the valley areas of strife-torn Manipur on Tuesday (September 26) after photos of two Meitei students – one male and one female – surfaced on social media.
The two young students went missing on July 6, during the peak of ethnic violence in Manipur, and were later allegedly ‘killed’ by suspected Kuki militants.
Both the missing, now dead, students belonged to the Meitei community in Manipur.
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According to the timeline shown in the photos that went viral on social media, the pictures were taken on July 8 – two days after they had gone missing.
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Luwangbi, after attending her coaching class, later went out with Hijam on his KTM bike for a ride on July 6, has not returned home since then.
Meanwhile, at least 50 students sustained injuries, mostly females, when Manipur police fired tear gas and mock bombs to disperse thousands of protesting students.
The student protestors, in thousands, took to the streets of Imphal and staged a sit-in protest at the Raj Bhawan gate on Tuesday (September 26).
The students were demanding early justice for the two dead students.
Hundreds of students from different educational institutes staged road blockades at different strategic locations in Imphal Valley of Manipur.
The students of the CC Higher Secondary School blocked the road leading to the CM’s office.
The protesting students later stormed the Raj Bhawan gate where they staged a sit-in protest.
Also read: Manipur tensions: ‘Minimum force’ used to disperse protestors, claims police
The police opened fire with tear gas and mock bombs to disperse the protesters at different places in the Imphal city.
The injured students were rushed to the RIMS, JNIMS, Raj Medicity, and other private hospitals.
The students took to the streets after the photos of bodies of two students – Phijam Hemjit (20) and Hijam Linthoingambi (17), who have been missing since July 6, surfaced on social media.
On the other hand, the Manipur police has claimed that the security forces resorted to use of “minimum force” to disperse protestors in Imphal valley on Tuesday (September 26).
“Security forces dispersed protestors with minimum forces,” said Manipur police in a statement.
“There were protests and rallies by students in connection with the viral photos of dead bodies of two missing students,” said Manipur police.
It added: “Security forces used minimum forces to disperse the congregation and fired some tear gas shells in which some people got injured.”