Schools, colleges in violence-hit Manipur reopen after 11 days

After 11 days of closure, all schools, colleges and technical institutions were reopened across Manipur on Tuesday, even as the security forces continued their intensive combing and search operations in most of the districts.

Education Department officials said that though students in most of the schools, colleges and technical institutions attended classes on Tuesday but in some institutions the attendance was less.

“We expect that attendance of students in all schools and colleges would be normal from Wednesday,” a senior official said.

Director of Education, L Nandakumar Singh and Joint Secretary, Higher and Technical Education, Laishram Dolie Devi had on Monday issued separate orders for reopening of all government, government-aided, and private schools, colleges and technical institutions from Tuesday.

After several incidents of violence in different districts between September 1 and 7, that left 20 people injured and claimed 12 lives, including that of two women, the Manipur government closed educational institutions across the state on September 6.

Subsequently, thousands of students held protests in Imphal and other places for two days on September 9 and 10, in support of their demands which included the removal of the Director General of Police and the Chief Security Advisor to the state government for their alleged inability to deal with the rising violence.

The student leaders separately met Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya and Chief Minister N Biren Singh and highlighted their demands, which also included the withdrawal of Central forces from the state and maintaining the territorial integrity of Manipur.

Meanwhile, after no incidents of violence in the last three days, the authorities of five trouble-torn districts relaxed curfew for 10 to 13 hours on Tuesday in Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Thoubal and Jiribam.

The relaxation of curfew would enable people to purchase essential items, including food and medicines.

The curfew relaxation, however, does not allow for holding of any protests, dharnas or rallies.

The Manipur Government on Monday lifted the week-long ban on mobile Internet services in the five valley districts -- Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur and Kakching.

After incidents of violence and student protests, the state government on September 10 had suspended mobile Internet services in five districts for five days and on September 15, the ban was extended for another five days, till September 20.

The Army, and the Assam Rifles, along with the Border Security Force, the Central Reserve Police Force, and the Manipur Police continue their anti-insurgency and search operations both in the valley and hilly areas.

Meanwhile, in a significant step, Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday announced that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) would launch a new initiative on Tuesday to provide various commodities to the people of Manipur at reasonable prices.

Announcing the initiative, which would help both the people living in valley regions and in the mountainous areas, the Home Minister said in a post on X, "In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment, the MHA is launching an initiative to provide commodities to the people of Manipur at reasonable prices. Now, the Kendriya Police Kalyan Bhandars will be opened to ordinary people from September 17, 2024. In addition to 21 existing Bhandars, 16 new ones will be opened. Among the 16 new centres, eight will be in the valley, and the remaining eight in the hills."

Expressing gratitude, the Manipur Chief Minister thanked both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Shah for launching the new initiative on Tuesday.