Newmai News Network
IMPHAL, AUGUST 6
[dropcap]F[/dropcap]IVE students of Manipur University were injured today when police fired tear gas shells to control a group of angry students who locked the main gate of the varsity protesting against the move of the Deans Committee to close the institution and send out hostellers.
MU deans Committee in its meeting held yesterday decided to close the varsity and send out all students staying in both Boys’ Hotel and Girls’ Hostel due to the state of affairs prevailing in the institution, caused by the issue of the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Amendment Act, 2012.
An order issued by Prof N Lokendro, Registrar, MU has informed all the hostellers to leave the varsity by 4 pm of Wednesday, August 6.Perturbed by the order, the hostellers locked the main gate of the varsity in protest around 10 am. Placards were hung on the gate that read “No military rule inside the MU campus, “We condemn Registrar’s notification” and “Why should we leave hostels without reasons.”
A large number of police then arrived at the scene and used tear gas and smoke bombs to quell the protesting students, injuring at least five of them—four girl students and one boy student.
But the standoff continued as the students later stormed the A-Block complex, but the security guards manning the building managed to prevent them from entering inside the office.
MU Vice-Chancellor Prof NK Sarma, who was inside the varsity campus at the time of the protest, told newsmen that the Deans Committee’s decision to close the varsity for some day came after incident of arson and other acts like vandalism occurred inside the complex.
He said all the students ought to obey the decision, informing that students from remote places can leave the varsity by evening of August 7.
Prof Sarma also said he hoped the agitating students will normalize the situation and enable the varsity to get back to the normal academic atmosphere soon.
