Protestors attack policemen in Manipur; none injured

"The protestors used slingshots to attack the police officers but there is no report of anyone getting injured," a police officer said. Chief Minister N Biren Singh urged the demonstrators to sit for a peaceful dialogue and termed the general strike called during the COVID-19 pandemic as "inappropriate".

Protesters belonging to two students' bodies of Manipur on Thursday targeted policemen with slingshots and stones when the law enforcers allowed some vehicles to pass during a roadblock, erected by the demonstrators in Hatta area here, as part of a general strike. However, there was no report of anyone receiving injuries, a police officer said.

The All Manipur Muslim Students Organization (AMMSO) and Pangal Students Union (PSU) have called a 48-hour general strike since Wednesday midnight demanding four per cent reservation for Muslim students during admission in Dhanamanjuri University here. The demonstrators came out in large numbers on the streets and blocked a section of a road with boulders, bricks, bamboo sticks and burnt tyres in the middle of the road, prompting a small group of policemen to urge them to stop blocking the road and carry out their agitation in a peaceful manner, police said.

The protesters targeted the police personnel after the latter allowed some vehicles to pass, police said. They also pelted the police with stones.

Additional forces were rushed to control the situation and few rounds of tear gas shells were lobbed to disperse the mob, the police said. "The protestors used slingshots to attack the police officers but there is no report of anyone getting injured," a police officer said.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh urged the demonstrators to sit for a peaceful dialogue and termed the general strike called during the COVID-19 pandemic as "inappropriate". Speaking on the sidelines of the flagging off ceremony of Jan Andolan Bike Rally in Mantripukhri area, the chief minister invited them for a dialogue to resolve the matter.

Similar incidents of violence were also reported from Muslim majority areas of Lilong and Sangaiyumpham in Thoubal district, Mayang Imphal in Imphal West district and Kwakta in Bishnupur district, police said. Manoj Khan, executive member of the AMMSO told reporters, "we have been demanding four per cent reservation for Muslim students of Manipur in higher education for the last three years and have submitted memorandum to the chief minister but there has been no positive outcome.

"We will continue with our agitation till our demand is met." PTI COR MM MM.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)