Although the situation in strife-torn Manipur has improved somewhat in the past couple of days, normal life is still affected by the ethnic conflict, say Keralite students stranded in the northeastern State. Sahla C.S., first year MSc Psychology student at Manipur University, told The Hindu that students from outside Manipur were not being targeted by the rioters. However, protesters raided students’ hostels in the university in search of tribespeople, that too in the middle of the night.
“They broke the locks of hostel rooms and vandalised tribal students’ belongings. The security guards alerted us to the arrival of protesters. They told us that we would not be harmed, but sought details of tribal students who all went into hiding when violence broke out. We fear we will be targeted if violence persists,” said Ms. Sahla, who hails from Ottappalam in Palakkad.
Abdul Basith, another postgraduate student at the university, said that tribal students, the prime targets of protesters, had left en masse soon after violence broke out. “There is no point in staying here risking our lives. Persistent violence has forced the university authorities to halt academic activities at least for a month. Tribal students, who account for around 40% of the total number of students in the university, are unwilling to return to campuses,” said Mr. Basith, who hails from Kannur.
‘Food stock down’
“When violence broke out, university authorities shifted the female students to a guest house. Our food stock has almost depleted and the authorities have instructed us to use water scarcely,” said Mr. Basith.
Reniya M.C., a first-year Psychology student, said a lot of students from other States too wanted to go home from various universities in Manipur. Only those at the National Sports University were willing to stay back since they were getting ready for the semester exams.
Nine to be evacuated
NoRKA Roots, the field agency of the Department of Non-Resident Keralites (NoRKA), has made arrangements to evacuate nine Keralite students from the Manipur University to Bengaluru via Guwahati on Monday from where they would be taken to Kerala by road.
