Manipur Police chief forms committee to probe charges of security forces’ excesses during students’ agitations

Manipur's Director General of Police has constituted a committee to look after the allegations of excesses of security forces during the students’ agitations this week, officials said on Friday, 29 September.

Officials said that DGP Rajiv Singh, in an order, said that to verify the complaints/allegations of excesses of security forces during the recent law and order maintenance, a committee has been formed to look into the issues and submit the report at the earliest.

The Committee would be headed by Inspector General of Police, Administrations K. Jayanta Singh.

Manipur witnessed massive students’ agitations to protest the killing of 17-year-old girl student Hijam Linthoingambi and 20-year-old Phijam Hemjit, who had gone missing on 6 July during the height of ethnic violence in Manipur and photographs of their bodies were circulated in various social media on 25 September.

Their families suspected that they had been killed by armed assailants.

Both the deceased students hailed from Bishnupur district.

At least 100 students, including girls, have been injured during the agitations on Tuesday and Wednesday after they clashed with the security forces, who prevented them from marching towards the Chief Minister’s bungalow.

The security forces used tear gas shells and smoke bombs to disperse the agitating students.

The Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR), meanwhile, urged the security forces not to use baton charge, tear gas shells and rubber bullets "arbitrarily and abruptly" against teenagers.

MCPCR Chairperson Manibabu Phurailatpam in a general appeal said that the underlying principle in the security forces and police should be rather a child friendly and protective force than hostile force unleashing devastating impact to right to life and the rights of the child to freedom of association and to freedam of peaceful assembly.

"Excessive and disproportionate use of force on children and young students is unbecoming in a democratic country like india, a country which ratified the UN Convention on Rights of the Child and where Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 is in force. A groundbreaking training manual for Police and Security Forces, Juvenile Justice, Human Rights and decent map control standard must be introduced," Phurailatpam said.

BJP MLA Rajkumar Imo Singh and few other organisations also strongly condemned the action of the security forces to deal with the agitations in Manipur. Singh, who is also the son-in-law of Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, said: "Such acts of barbarism by the Armed Forces cannot be tolerated. Can't they use water cannons and other forms to stop such agitation ? The Armed Forces should be instructed to be more humane in dealing with such kinds of delicate situations. Those involved should be given punishment as per law. I also urge my Manipuri brothers and sisters to not indulge in any form of violence."

In view of the students’ agitations, the state government shut all schools in the state till 29 September. The state government on Tuesday also re-imposed the ban on mobile internet services till 7.45 p.m. of 1 October to prevent the spread of misinformation and rumours. On 23 September, the internet ban was lifted after more than four months of imposition on 3 May when the ethnic riots began.