Imphal (Manipur): At Least 60 students including girl students were injured in protest demanding “justice” for the killing of two Meitei students who went missing since July 6 in Bishnupur District. On the other hand the government of Manipur sensing the anger brewing high among students and fear of more students coming out to roads to protest, the Directorate of Education (Schools) has ordered all schools to close till Friday, the 29th September.

The viral photos show the two students(boy and girl who are friends) sitting next to each other in fear in what appears to be a makeshift jungle camp of an armed group. The girl is seen in a white T-shirt while the boy in a checkered shirt holding a backpack with armed men in the background. In one of the other photos, their bodies are seen lying on the grassy ground between two big stones. The viral picture also shows that the photo was taken by a Realme phone on July 8, two days after they had gone missing.

Thousands of students in Imphal on Tuesday took to roads after photos of the dead bodies of the two missing Meitei students surfaced on social media and went viral from late Monday, 25th September night.

Huge numbers of students In Imphal came out from their respective Schools on roads with banners, placards and chanting slogans demanding the punishment for all the killers of the two students, uniform law in hills and valleys and keeping Manipur’s integrity intact. As irate students were proceeding towards Raj Bhavan and CM Bungalow from all directions, state police and RAF personnel intercepted the students from proceeding further. Scuffle occurred between the students, state police and RAF personnel.

Police and RAF personnel resorted to firing tear gas shells to disperse the students, in which around 60 students were injured. Some of them were hit by tear gas shells and some injured in the scuffle. The injured students were immediately taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Similar protest was also carried out by students of Manipur University. The university students took a march from Canchipur towards CM Bungalow; however, they were stopped by police and RAF personnel at Singjamei. The protest was joined by localities of Singjamei area and scuffle occurred with security forces. Security forces fired tear gas shells to disperse the protestors. Some of the protestors also pelted stones towards the security forces.

Meanwhile, students of Tamphasana Girls Higher Secondary School in Imphal, where the deceased girl studied, took resolutions to attend classes without fail; to attend school donning black badge; to continue protest until the bodies are found; to demand befitting punishment to the killers etc.

After the photos went viral on Social Media, the Manipur state government has assured that swift and decisive action will be taken against all those involved in the kidnapping and killing of the two students.

In a statement issued by the CM Secretariat, “It has come to the notice of the State Government that the photos of two students, Phijam Hemjit (20 years) and Hijam Linthoingambi(17 years), who have been missing since July, 2023 have surfaced on social media. It may be noted that this case has already been handed over to the CBI as per the wishes of the people of the state”.

The statement further said that the State police, in collaboration with the central security agencies, are actively investigating the case to determine the circumstances surrounding their disappearance and to identify the perpetrators who murdered the two students. The security forces have also started the search operation to nab the perpetrators.

It further added that, in response to this distressing situation, the government assures the public that swift and decisive action will be taken against all those involved in the kidnapping and killing of Phijam Hemjit and Hijam Linthoingambi. The government is committed to ensuring justice prevails and will impose severe punishment on any perpetrators found responsible for this heinous crime.

The Government encourages the public to exercise restraint and to let the authorities handle the investigation, the statement said.

Manipur has been affected by ethnic violence between the tribal Kuki-Zo and Meitei community since May 3.

According to Manipur Police, the two friends were abducted by some armed Kuki miscreants in the periphery area of Bishnupur. CCTV camera footage shows their last visual at Old Cachhar Road, Bishnupur at 9:12 am on July 6 riding a KTM bike.

Police reports suggest that the girl's mobile phone was last located in Kwakta, Bishnupur district, while the handset used by the boy was suspected to be in use by a person at Lamdan, Churachandpur district.