Imphal, Oct. 14 (PTI): Three university bodies in Manipur on Sunday condemned the alleged handcuffing of a jailed university professor while being taken to a hospital, a press release said.
The Joint Action Committee of the MUSU, MUSA and MUTA at an emergency meeting considered the action as an “insulting treatment of members of the university community,” the press release issued by Manipur University Students Union, Manipur University Teachers Association and Manipur University Staffs Association said.
They also demanded immediate release of the 15 jailed students and teachers of the varsity.
Police confirmed that the professor had been handcuffed and rules were observed in this case.
“Irrespective of charges, an accused is handcuffed while being taken to a hospital,” a police official said on condition of anonymity.
A MUSU office bearer said that Prof. Dorendrajit was handcuffed while being taken to Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIIMS) on October 11 and the academician’s wife had brought it to their notice.
The professor had been taken to RIIMS after his health condition turned serious following complications from diabetes, the MUSU office bearer said.
The 15 people have been lodged in jail on the basis of an FIR registered on September 20 by the then acting vice-chancellor Prof. K Yugindro Singh, senior police officials said.
The then acting VC’s FIR triggered a massive raid on the hostels and residential quarters located within the varsity, on September 21 midnight followed by condemnation and counter-reactions from students bodies.
In another related development, the National Human Rights Commission, has asked concerned authorities, to submit a detailed report on the raid after a case was filed by human rights activist Henri Tiphagne.
The letter, a copy of which is available with PTI, also said that if a detailed report is not furnished within a month, the Commission shall be constrained to invoke coercive process under Section 13 of the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993, for personal appearance of the concerned authority.
The university impasse began on May 30 after the MUSU took up agitation against then VC A P Pandey and was later supported by MUTA and MUSA.
The 85-day-long agitation was, however, suspended after an agreement was reached among the Union HRD ministry, the state government and the university on
August 16 and normalcy had returned for a while. However, it was cut short after Pandey on October 1, assumed office and banned MUTA and MUSA, aggravating the situation once again.
On September 21, when K Yugindro Singh went to the university, he was allegedly gheraoed by students and teachers who allegedly forced him to sign a letter. Following this, he lodged an FIR with the police.
The police conducted a midnight raid on September 21 during which 89 students and teachers were arrested. Fifteen of them are still behind bars and the agitators have been demanding their release.
The Manipur High Court on Thursday suspended the acting vice-chancellor and registrar of Manipur University and appointed a new administrator in an effort to bring normalcy to the varsity, which has been on the boil since May 30.
Former state chief secretary Jarnail Singh has been appointed as the administrator who will discharge the duties of vice-chancellor (VC) as per the provisions of the Manipur University Act 2005.
