Manipuris fed up with increasing incidents of extortion, abduction

People in Manipur are fed up with increasing incidents of extortion and abduction by militants.

Recently, two students of Standard Robarth Higher Secondary School in Imphal were kidnapped by unknown persons. This led to a protest by students and teachers against such acts.

The duo, identified as 13 year old Mutum Nongpoknganba and Puyam Johnsana Singh, are students of Class VII. Puyam Johnsana Singh had gone missing on June 23 and Nongpokngamba went missing after he went out for a morning walk on July 4. Till now there is no information about them.

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On July 12 many students and teachers staged a sit - in protest near the school at Canchipur in Manipur.

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"It creates a lot of problem at school and at home. Our students cannot continue their studies peacefully since the incident took place. Students are the pillars of tomorrow but they cannot carry on like this as they feel scare and tense in such situation," said G Bhakti Sharma, HOD, English department, Standard Robarth English Hr. Sec. School.

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"Such incidents are not good at all because unknown persons kidnap students and later they forcibly recruit them and spoil the life of innocent students," said Bilton Singh, a student protestor.

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Such incidents are not new in Manipur and insurgent groups often mislead young children to make them join their outfits. People strongly condemn such acts and have appealed for their safe release.

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"We are staging sit-in- protest with the connection of kidnapping two students from our school namely Nongpoknganba and Johnsana. We feel sorry about that and such incident creates panic at our school as well as at home. So we appeal whoever kidnapped them to release them safely and give them back to their respective parents," added Purnita Devi, another student protestor.

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Many children are suspected to have been either kidnapped or tempted to join as child soldiers in different militant outfits. Many children who had gone missing were rescued from Indo-Myanmar bordering town of Moreh by the state police forces and Assam Rifles.