Imphal, Sept. 9: The All Manipur Students Union today joined the ongoing agitation against the July 23 killing of Rabina Devi and Ch. Sanjit allegedly in a fake encounter by police. It launched a class boycott campaign while women protesters vented their ire at the Congress Bhawan here.

Following a call from the influential union yesterday, students of government and private schools and colleges alike boycotted classes, paralysing normal classes in a majority of the educational institutes in the four valley districts of Manipur.

Though students of some schools had skipped classes to stage a sit-in in support of the ongoing agitation spearheaded by Apunba Lup in the past, this was the first time that the student body joined the protest by calling a class boycott.

“We know that the class boycott will disturb our academic pursuits, but we are compelled to take the step toprotect innocent lives,” Md Alamgir, the general secretary of the student body, said.

The class boycott will continue indefinitely, the student leader added.

The students turned up at their respective institutions on time but did not attend classes after the routine school assembly.

While some students were seen in the city’s institutions till the end of school hours, others were seen leaving for home before time.

“We are boycotting classes in response to the Amsu’s call as well as to demand the resignation of chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh and punishment of the commandos responsible for the death of Rabina Devi and Sanjit,” Rose Devi, a student of Tamph-asana Girls’ HS School, said.

The Amsu called the class boycott in support of the people’s agitation demanding Ibobi Singh’s resignation, punishment of the guilty commandos and release of protesters arrested and detained under the NSA.

Five leaders of the Apunba Lup were arrested and detained under the NSA in the wake of the widespread agitation. The student body alleged that the chief minister had taken repressive measures instead of honouring the sentiments of the people.

As the students resorted to the class boycott, women protesters staged a demonstration near the entrance to Congress Bhavan, the head office of the ruling party.

Nearly 100 women gathered near the main gate of the Congress office to hold the demonstration.

The protesters shouted slogans like, “Step down CM Ibobi, punish guilty commandos” and “Stop fake encounter killings”, before the police dispersed them.

A delegation of the protesters was, however, allowed to enter the Congress office and meet the state PCC president Gaikhangam.

The PCC chief assured the team that he would apprise AICC president Sonia Gandhi on the prevailing situation in the state.