Manipur govt closes all schools in valley districts today

Imphal, Nov 20 (IANS) The Manipur government has closed all schools in six valley districts on Wednesday considering the safety of the students, officials said on Tuesday.

Director of Education (School) L. Nandakumar Singh in an order said that all schools in the valley districts would remain closed on Wednesday keeping in mind the safety of the students and teachers.

After the widespread violence started in the valley districts after the recovery of the bodies of three children and three women in Jiribam on November 15 and 16, the Manipur government closed all educational institutions for two days on November 18 and 19 in the curfew-bound five districts -- Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Thoubal and Kakching.

Meanwhile, students of Manipur University staged a sit-in and burnt effigies of the Manipur Chief Minister and Governor in front of the university’s main gate condemning the heinous torture, rape and murder of three children and three women who were abducted by Kuki militants on November 11 from Borobekra Sub division in Jiribam.

The sit-in was jointly organised by the Manipur University Student Union (MUSU) and Jiribam Students Forum, Imphal.

While talking to the media on the sidelines of the protest, N Ibenoubi, daughter of Y Rani Devi, one of the six victims, stated that she earlier met with the chief minister to launch the rescue operation after hearing news of the abduction on November 11.

“I had pleaded with the chief minister to rescue my mother and family but instead he redirected the matter saying he could not decide the fate of the hostages,” she said.

She expressed discontentment with the inaction of the government and maintained that the state government must be held accountable for their death.

Meanwhile, MUSU president Nongthombam Suraj stated that it was no use studying if students could not contribute to the betterment of society’s political and social well-being.

--IANS

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