A clash broke out between police and students of Imphal College along the Tiddim Road in Imphal West on Thursday, during an agitation against the postponement of election for student bodies of government and aided colleges across Manipur.
The clash resulted as the students allegedly started pelting stones to the police forces while they were trying to control the protest.
In retaliation, the police fired a few rounds of tear gas shells and mock bombs, and successfully brought the situation under control within a few minutes.
Three police personnel and a male student reportedly sustained minor injuries while a girl student fainted at the spot.
During the confrontation, traffic flow along the eastern side of the Tiddim road was disrupted for almost an hour.
The student started agitating by torching the college infrastructures such as the bench and desk besides blocking the eastern median of the Tiddim road.
In a notification issued on September 21 by the Higher Education department, the date to hold the election was fixed on October 6. However, a new notification issued by the same department on September 28 postponed the election indefinitely and declared the previous notification as null and void.
The protesting students demanded that the election be scheduled as per the previous notification.
Terming the new notification as a ‘mockery’ to the students community, the student protesters demanded resignation of Education (U) director Rangitabali Waikhom and Education Minister Th Basanta.
Students of various colleges in Imphal East and West had also taken up similar protests at their respective colleges. The colleges include Modern College; Standard College; Oriental College; Biramangol College and others.
In another incident, students of different institutions attempted to storm the office of the directorate of University and Higher Education at Nityapat Chuthek in Imphal West; however, they were unable to do so due to tight security.
To avoid further escalation of the situation, the state government declared a one-day holiday of all government and aided colleges on October 1.
