Army fails to secure road for school students Kukis block students for second day on the trot

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jul 4 : Students of Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV), Leimakhong were prevented from attending classes for the second consecutive day today after a group of Kuki individuals blocked their passage, despite an assurance from Army that such disruptions would not be allowed.
According to local residents, students travelling from the Kanto Sabal area in Imphal West were stopped near Ex-Servicemen Colony while on their way to school.
Following the incident, residents of Kanto Sabal, Khurkhul, Sekmai and nearby villages staged a protest by blocking the Khurkhul-Kanto Sabal road, preventing the movement of Army vehicles.
During the protest, one woman was injured after Army personnel allegedly resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the demonstrators.
The protesters alleged that the Army had failed to honour its assurance.
They said that a senior Army officer had earlier assured local residents that no Kuki individuals would be allowed to obstruct students from attending classes again.
However, several students were not allowed to proceed beyond the Ex-Servicemen Colony today too around 7.30 am by a group of unruly Kuki individuals.
Shortly after the students were stopped, Meitei and Naga residents from Kanto Sabal, Khurkhul, Sekmai, and nearby areas staged a protest at Kanto Sabal.
The protest intensified at around 9.30 am, with demonstrators accusing the Army of failing to honour its assurance that students would be allowed to travel to their school without obstruction.
They alleged that Kuki miscreants were allowed to continue blocking the students' passage without intervention.
In protest, the demonstrators blocked the movement of Army vehicles along the Kanto Sabal-Leimakhong road.
However, a large convoy of Army vehicles proceeded along the road and headed towards the Leimakhong Army camp despite the blockade.
During the standoff, Army personnel resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the protesters, leaving one woman injured.
Later, Meitei and Naga residents gathered once again and attempted to march from Kanto Sabal towards Leimakhong Chingmang.
However, they were stopped by Army personnel, following which the demonstrators continued their protest at Kanto Sabal.
Meanwhile, the Kuki individuals who had earlier blocked the passage of students of KV moved up to the Ex-Servicemen Colony at Leimakhong and staged a sit-in protest.
The Army also prevented the Kuki protesters from proceeding beyond the area.
Laishram Tampha, one of the protesters, told the media that they staged the protest because the Army had failed to honour the assurance it had given the previous day.
According to her, Army personnel informed the residents that they were unable to escort the students to their school due to the prevailing situation.
She urged the Government to take necessary security measures to ensure free movement in the Leimakhong area and to allow students to attend classes without obstruction.
She also urged the Kuki people to stage their protest in Kangpokpi and not create disturbances in Imphal West.
Around 3 pm, an altercation broke out between Army personnel and Meitei and Naga demonstrators again after the Army asked them to move about 100 metres to facilitate the dispersal of the Kuki protesters.
However, residents from the Kanto Sabal side said they had lost faith in the Army and stated that they would return home only if the Kuki protesters were dispersed first.
The Army reportedly assured the protesters that it would facilitate the free movement of students from Monday.
In response, the protesters expressed scepticism, saying they could not trust the Army’s assurance anymore.
Later, around 5 pm, women personnel of the CRPF arrived at the site to bring the situation under control.
The security personnel first dispersed the Kuki protesters, reportedly after being pressed by Meitei and Naga demonstrators.
The Meitei and Naga residents subsequently withdrew their protest after security personnel showed them video footage of the dispersal of the Kuki protesters.
They, however, told the security forces that Kuki individuals should not be allowed to cause any further disturbance in the area.