In a fresh wave of public outrage against the Gwaltabi incident, students of Standard College on Wednesday staged a demonstration by burning effigies of Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Chief Secretary PK Singh, and Director General of Police (DGP). The protest, held under the banner of the student wing of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), was organized within the college premises.
The students shouted slogans condemning what they termed the “insult to Manipur’s identity” and demanded immediate accountability for the incident in which security personnel allegedly forced the removal of the word “Manipur” from a state-owned Manipur State Transport (MST) bus at Gwaltabi on May 20. The bus, carrying journalists to the Shirui Lily Festival in Ukhrul, was reportedly intercepted by the 4th Mahar Regiment with support from Border Security Force personnel.
Protesters accused the state’s top authorities of remaining silent and inactive even after the incident triggered widespread resentment across the state. “This is not just a case of misuse of authority—it is a direct attack on our state’s name, our pride, and our collective identity,” said one of the protesting students. The demonstrators called for the immediate suspension of the officers involved and for a high-level investigation into the actions of the security personnel.