Drone, missile attacks spark student protests in Manipur, govt urged to take concrete steps

Security personnel stop members of All Manipur Students` Union (AMSU) during a protest march against/ PTI

Thousands of students rallied outside the Manipur Secretariat and Raj Bhavan, demanding fast punishment against those guilty for recent drone and missile assaults, as well as the defence of the state's "territorial and administrative integrity."

The most recent wave of violence has resulted in at least eight deaths and more than 12 injuries, with students frustrated with the government's handling of the matter. The students chanted chants such as "Long Live Manipur" and "Resign All Incompetent MLAs," demanding that the Unified Command be turned over to the state government, reported PTI.

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According to the report, later, student delegates met with Governor L Acharya and Chief Minister N Biren Singh. They made six primary demands, including the firing of the Director General of Police (DGP) and the state's Security Advisor, accusing them of failing to contain the violence. They also requested that the Chief Minister take leadership of the Unified Command, which is currently led by retired CRPF Director General Kuldiep Singh.

On Sunday, the state government had previously requested that the Home Ministry-run Unified Command be transferred to state authorities. Manipur's security operations are overseen by the Unified Command, which includes many security services, according to the PTI report.

M Sanathoi Chanu, a college student who met with the Chief Minister, stated, "We want to study freely without disruptions. We urged the CM to end the conflict as soon as possible."

Reportedly, meanwhile, in Thoubal district, uniformed students conducted a march, asking for the state's territorial integrity and rejecting any sort of independent governance. Thousands of villagers protested in Kakching district against recent civilian killings by suspected Kuki militants, demanding that the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement be cancelled and that the state administration take tougher measures to end violence against civilians.

On Sunday, Manipur CM N Biren Singh, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), said that the government had handed over Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia to the next of kin of those who died in the attack.

"Representatives of the JAC against the brutal killing of (L) Ngangbam (O) Surbala Devi by Kuki militants at Koutruk called on me at my Secretariat. An ex gratia amount of Rs 10 lakhs has been handed over to the bereaved family as a small gesture from the government, recognizing the deep loss they have endured. While no financial assistance can truly compensate for the life lost, it is our responsibility to stand by the affected families and offer them support in these difficult times," CM said.