Tribal students in Manipur protested on Friday, demanding the immediate disbursal of scholarships under the National Scholarship Portal for the academic year 2023-24. The protest, led by the All Colleges Tribal Students Union, turned violent near GP Women’s College in Imphal, prompting security forces to use tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.
The protest began with students gathering outside the college, expressing frustration over the delayed scholarship payments, which they consider essential for their education and livelihood. The students called for swift action from the Tribal Affairs & Hills Department and demanded accountability for the delay.
According to Ukhrul Times, tensions escalated when Imphal West Police and CRPF personnel intercepted the protesters near TG Higher Secondary School, preventing them from marching further. Clashes broke out, and security forces fired tear gas shells to control the situation. Despite the escalation, no injuries were reported at the time of filing this report.
To restore order, IG Themthing Ngasangva arrived with additional police personnel. Later, it was reported that Additional Director of the Tribal Affairs & Hills Department, ST Rithung, met with the protesting students and assured them that their concerns would be addressed. However, the students remained dissatisfied, continuing to demand concrete actions and clear timelines for the release of their scholarships.