IMPHAL, Dec 6: A large group of students in Imphal attempted to storm the state secretariat office on Friday, demanding the release of Scheduled Tribe (ST) students’ scholarships. The protest, which took place near GP Women’s College, was sparked by the delayed disbursement of scholarships for the 2023–2024 academic year.
The students, who had been awaiting their monthly scholarships for the past 3–4 months, began marching toward the secretariat office to meet with the authorities. However, they were intercepted by Manipur Police and CRPF personnel before reaching their destination. As tensions escalated, the police used tear gas shells and mock bombs to disperse the protesters.
One student stated that, around 32,000 Scheduled Tribe students were affected by the delay in scholarship payments, which were originally scheduled to be disbursed by October. The protest intensified as the students expressed frustration over the government’s inaction.
The situation was diffused after the arrival of the Additional Director of Tribal Affairs and Hills, who engaged in negotiations with the protesting students.