More than 30 students, mostly girls, were injured in Manipur’s Imphal Valley on Tuesday as the police fired tear gas shells and baton-charged a throng demonstrating against the killing of two adolescents who were allegedly kidnapped in July, officials said.

The students of Imphal-based schools and colleges took out the protest rallies hours after photo of the bodies of the two youths went viral on social media, seeking arrest of those involved in the killing.
The demonstrators battled with the police near Sanjenthong in Imphal East district after security personnel stopped them from moving towards the chief minister’s secretariat here.

The police fired tear gas shells and batons to disperse the agitators. “School and college students took out a rally in Imphal to protest against the killing of the two youths. As the students were headed towards the CM’s Secretariat, security forces took steps to disperse them,” a police officer said.

Over 30 students were injured in police action and admitted to three hospitals in Imphal, officials of the medical facilities said. Photos of the bodies of the missing students surfaced on social media on Monday, following which the Manipur government has advised people to maintain caution and enable officials to probe the “kidnapping and killing” of the two. The two youngsters were identified as Phijam Hemjit (20) and Hijam Linthoingambi (17).

Students also put out rallies at Uripok, Old Lambulane, Singjamei in Imphal West district demanding arrest of those implicated in the murders of the two youths. Similar skirmishes between students and police officers have been reported from Thoubal, Kakching and Bishnupur districts.

Abungo Th, a student who participated in the protest, told the media: “The missing students were killed and the govt is yet to arrest the killers. The location of the bodies where they have been buried is still unknown. The administration is unwilling to take action.” In a statement published by the office of Chief Minister N Biren Singh late on Monday night, the state administration claimed the case has already been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).