Manipur: 30 Students Injured As Police Baton-Charge Mob Protesting Death Of Two Missing Youth

New Delhi: More than 30 students, mostly girls, were hurt in Manipur's Imphal Valley on Tuesday as the police used tear gas and lathis to disperse a crowd protesting against the murder of two youths who were reportedly abducted in July, news agency PTI quoted officials as saying. The students took out protest marches soon after photos of the corpses of the two youths circulated on social media. The protesters confronted the police when security forces attempted to block them from reaching the chief minister's secretariat here, police said. The wounded protesters were taken to various hospitals.

Priyanka Gandhi Slams Centre For 'Inaction'

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday criticised the Centre for its "inaction" over the gruesome crimes in Manipur and said that it should be ashamed of itself. She said that children are the most vulnerable victims of ethnic violence and it is our duty to protect them.

She posted on X, "More shocking news from Manipur. Children are the most vulnerable victims of ethnic violence. It is our duty to do all we can to protect them. The horrific crimes being committed in Manipur are beyond words, yet they are being allowed to continue unabated." "The central government should be ashamed of its inaction," the Congress general secretary said.

State Government Hands Over Case To CBI

The two students who were killed were identified as Phijam Hemjit (20) and Hijam Linthoingambi (17). They had been missing since July. The Manipur government issued a statement late on Monday night, saying that the case has already been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The statement said, "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."