Imphal, 27 Sep:  Hundreds of women traders holding the festoon with the photos of two missing students took out a protest rally in the heart of Imphal city on Wednesday demanding among others legal proceedings against 10 Kuki MLAs and early justice against the killing of two school students.

The rally was held amid high tension for the second day on Wednesday after police and paramilitary personnel opened fire with tear gas and mock bombs on the protesters who are demanding early justice for the killing of students  whose lifeless bodies lie near a boulder in a forested area that went viral on social media on Monday.

Talking to the newsmen on the sideline of the rally, Nirmala Devi said that the BJP-led governments at the center and state still remained as mute spectators even though the ten sitting MLAs belonging to the Kuki-Zo communities tried to disintegrate the Manipur’s integrity. The governments should impart deterrent punishments to these MLAs of the Manipur Legislative Assembly who are enjoying their monthly salaries and allowances but speaking against the territorial integrity of the state.

Referring to the alleged killing of two students, Phijam Hemjit, 20, and Hijam Linthoingambi, 17, who has been missing since July 6, 2023, that surfaced on social media to which the case has already been handed over to the CBI, Nirmala Devi said that the women traders are demanding early justice for achieving peace in this strife torn state.

She also alleged that what is the reason behind the case of two missing students handed over to the CBI? She asked what remarkable achievement has been made by the CBI in the case relating to the Manipur issues to date.

She also allegedly blamed the BJP-led government in the state for its failure to early restorative peace arising out of the ongoing communal violence that cost the lives of over 175 persons to date.