Alleging Manipur police opened 'unprovoked fire' on supporters of NSCN-IM General Secretary T Muivah at Mao checkpost on Manipur-Nagaland border, hundreds of Naga students on Saturday demanded a judicial probe into Thursday's incident.
Demanding imposition of President s Rule in Manipur, youths from the Naga community, under the banner of Naga Students Union, Shillong, held a sit-in protest at Nagaland House in Shillong shouting slogans against Manipur government s 'highhandedness .
"The unprovoked firing that led to the killing of Naga people at Mao is unconstitutional and act of highhandedness. The culprits should be brought to book and a judicial probe instituted into the incident," students body spokesman Xavier Mao said.
Official reports in Imphal, however, maintained that three people, including two women, were killed in a stampede when the police used teargas to disperse the people at Mao on that day.
The NSU protesters in Shillong also displayed placards like Manipur Commandos Killing Machines , Say no to Ibobi , Respect human rights , Indian government rein in Ibobi etc.
"We demand President's rule in Manipur since the Nagas in that state are no longer secure as the government has failed to discharge its constitutional obligation," the students body said.
The Naga body also shot off a memorandum to President Pratibha Patil saying "the political gimmick played by the Ibobi government over Muivah s visit is the root cause of the prevailing turmoil."
Senior Nagaland police and civil officials who visited the Mao area after yesterday s police action, said that two Naga students were killed and many suffered bullet injuries when the police opened fire and used teargas and rubber bullets against those waiting to welcome Muivah across the border in Manipur. PTI
