Friday, May 16, 2008

Student shot at, campus erupts - VC leads protest in Manipur University

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Teachers and students of Manipur University at the demonstration in Imphal on Thursday. Picture by Eastern Projections Imphal, May 15: Manipur University vice-chancellor C. Amuba Singh led a demonstration of teachers and students on the campus today after a police commando shot at and wounded a student in Imphal East district last night.

Thonkchom Ranjit, a student of chemistry at the university, was on a motorcycle through Kongba Lairenpat with a friend, Y. Lamyanba, riding pillion when they were stopped near a bus stop for frisking.

While the two were being frisked, one of the police commandos shot at Ranjit from his regulation AK-series. Police, however, denied foul play.

“The firing was accidental and the policeman had no intention of injuring the student. The police team rushed him to the hospital. He is at present out of danger. A probe is under way to ascertain how the shot was fired,” a police officer said.

The superintendent of police, Imphal East, Th. Radhesyham Singh, said a case had been registered against the commando and he would not be spared if found guilty.

The police, however, did not disclose his name.

The 24-year-old, who was hit in his right knee, is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Imphal. His condition is, however, stable.

Condemning the incident, Amuba Singh said: “Targeting a student and misuse of a service weapon by police personnel is very unfortunate.”

Students demanding action against the police party assembled at the demonstration site with placards reading: “We demand justice” and “Commandos should not violate students’ rights”.

The protest today affected work on campus.

“The student is lucky enough to have survived. What if he would have died? We will not remain silent until the police team involved in the case is punished in two days,” the president of the Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur, Ashirjit Luwang, said.

Ranjit is a resident of Khurai in Imphal East district.

“Ranjit is a disciplined and a good student. I don’t think he did anything wrong. I have urged the SP to take action against the policeman involved in the incident,” Amuba Singh said.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080516/jsp/northeast/story_9278057.jsp

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