Guwahati: Tensions escalated in Imphal, the capital of Manipur, following a blast that claimed the life of a Dhanamanjuri (DM) University student and sparked a series of incidents of arson and violence late Friday. The city has been on high alert since the blast.
Another student was injured in the explosion and is currently undergoing treatment at the Raj Medicity Hospital in Imphal.
Though the nature of the blast has not been ascertained yet, according to local sources, unknown miscreants lobbed a hand grenade at the All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU) office located within the DM University campus in Imphal West district.
The incident took place at around 9.30 pm on the northern side of the state university campus. The two injured students were immediately rushed to the Raj Medicity Hospital in Imphal, and later that evening, one of them succumbed to the injuries.
The deceased has been identified as 24-year-old Oinam Kenejy Singh, who hailed from Upokpi in the Bishnupur district. The injured student, currently recovering at the hospital, has been identified as Salam Michael (24) from the same district.
No insurgent group or armed organisation has claimed responsibility for the blast yet. Manipur Police is yet to make an official statement in this regard.
A similar incident was reported on 10 June, 2021, when suspected rebels had triggered a hand grenade explosion at the same office of the students’ union inside the DM University campus. However, there was no report of any casualty then.
Soon after the blast Friday, a wave of unrest erupted in the capital city that continued into the early hours of Saturday.
At 12.05 am, unknown miscreants targeted and set ablaze three private offices and schools in quick succession, local sources said.
Among the establishments affected were the office of the civil society organisation, the United Committee Manipur (UCM) office at Lamphelpat, the Macha Leima School at the Palace compound, and the office of another civil body called the Mapi Council at Wangkhei Ningthem Pukhri in Imphal.
The UCM is one of the apex bodies comprising 36 civil society organisations (CSO) in the state, including Meitei, Pangal (Manipuri Muslims) and Naga groups. The Macha Leima School is run exclusively by the Meitei women community.
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‘Total intelligence failure’
The Friday incidents occurred in rapid succession, leaving the Meitei community on edge. The fire service authorities managed to extinguish the flames, local sources informed ThePrint.
On Saturday, a large number of students conducted a mass rally in Imphal city, condemning the killing of the student in the grenade attack.
Demanding justice, a Joint Action Committee (JAC) was formed Saturday at Upokpi, the birthplace of the deceased student, Oinam Kenejy Singh. The JAC has decided not to accept the mortal remains of Singh till their demands are met, which includes nabbing the culprits within 48 hours.
Locals also took to the streets at Thangmeiband, where the DM University is located. There were palpable signs of anger and panic among the civilian population.
Meanwhile, the UCM has strongly condemned the incidents of arson and demanded protection for their members. Some UCM members, who were arrested by unknown armed men Friday, were later released, and a few were found to have been badly beaten, a UCM member told ThePrint.
The UCM representative narrated the incident and demanded a thorough investigation by the government.
“The present situation in my state is very grim. The government is not being able to control anything. We do not know who has done it. There were armed men in about 15-20 gypsies that approached the UCM building around 11.30 pm Friday,” said the representative.
He added that these armed men in camouflage uniforms then broke through the main door. “Few people were sleeping inside. One managed to escape, and two of them were caught by the assailants. They were badly beaten up.”
“They (armed miscreants) later took out some papers and documents from our office, and burned them outside,” he added.
Stating it to be an intelligence failure or government apathy, the UCM leader also said that the Lamphelpat police station is located just about 200 metres from the UCM office building.
“It’s a well-secured zone with state and central security agencies having their offices around this place. It’s a total intelligence failure or the government doesn’t want to act on this,” the UCM leader told ThePrint.
Abduction by armed miscreants
The blast occurred three days after the president of the All Manipur Students Union (AMSU), Kongbrailatpam Harideva Sharma, was allegedly abducted by armed miscreants on 20 February.
It was on Tuesday afternoon that Sharma was whisked away by “armed men” from the main gate of Manipur University. A family member of Sharma confirmed ThePrint that he was safely released Thursday.
Earlier Wednesday, various women organisations, along with AMSU members, submitted a memorandum to Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, urging the government to secure his safe release.
Sources familiar with the matter informed ThePrint that the CM had asked the state Director General of Police to look into the matter.
A complaint was also lodged at the Manipur State Human Rights Commission (MHRC) by an individual on 20 February where it was stated that the “Student community and family of Harideva Sharma have a reason to believe that he would have been abducted by an insurgent group called United National Liberation Front (Pambei Group) [UNLF-P]”. ThePrint has seen a copy of the MHRC complaint.
However, the alleged outfit has not yet claimed responsibility for the incident. The UNLF-P signed a peace agreement with the central and the Manipur governments in November last year.
According to sources, both the AMSU and UCM have two groups each, separated due to certain differences. One of these groups, of which Sharma was a member, had differences with an armed organisation.
Meanwhile, the UCM leader quoted above told ThePrint that the only solution to the ethnic crisis is political, even as factional clashes among armed groups continue.
“The budget session of the assembly is coming up on the 28th of this month (February). It should be one of the platforms where both Kuki and Meitei MLAs sit together and discuss possibilities. Everything has to be solved politically. Everyone has a gun, and you cannot think that this war will end only after one community is finished. It never happens that way,” he said.
“Factional clashes among armed groups happened earlier as well. The common citizens are confused. As Meitei, they are proud of the armed groups that have come up to protect them. But the end has to be a political solution,” the UCM representative added.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
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