Schools Occupied By Security Personnel in Interior Manipur

Imphal, Apr 21 : Nearly 200 students in interior Bishenpur district of Manipur have not been able to attend classes for the past few years as parts of their schools have been occupied by security personnel.

Interacting with a media team from Imphal, some teachers at Karang said that parts of the Karang Lower primary school and nearby Khoidum Leihao Junior High School have been occupied by the 33rd Assam Rifles personnel since April, 2004.

Karang hillock is an island and in the middle of Loktak lake and the only means of reaching this place is by using boats from nearby Thanga area.

KLPS has 40 students and KLJHS 174.

Officials of the zonal education officer in the district headquarters at Bishenpur admitted that the schools have been occupies by security forces.

Pointed out that the Supreme Court in April, 2010 had asked all state governments to withdraw all security personnel from educational institutions, they said the matter had been brought to the notice of the senior officials.

Official sources in Imphal said Gorkha Rifles personnel were first kept in the educational institution and later it was replaced by 33rd Assam Rifles personnel.

They said insurgents of various organisations were operating from Karang and different parts of Loktak lake area and it was because of this that security personnel were posted in the surrounding areas.

The sources said most of the insurgents have been driven out of the Loktak lake area during major combing operations by security forces since 2004, April.