In a fresh wave of public outrage over the controversial Gwaltabi incident, students of Standard College staged a fiery demonstration on Wednesday, burning effigies of Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Chief Secretary P.K. Singh, and Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv Singh.

Organized under the banner of the student wing of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), the protest took place within the college premises and drew strong slogans condemning what students described as an “insult to Manipur’s identity.”

The students were reacting to the May 20 incident in which security personnel allegedly forced the removal of the word “Manipur” from a state-owned Manipur State Transport (MST) bus at Gwaltabi. The bus was transporting journalists to the Shirui Lily Festival in Ukhrul when it was reportedly intercepted by personnel of the 4th Mahar Regiment, with support from the Border Security Force (BSF).

Calling the act a direct affront to Manipur’s pride and dignity, the protesters criticized the silence of the state’s top leadership. “This is not just a misuse of authority—it’s a deliberate attack on our state’s name, our pride, and our collective identity,” said one of the demonstrators.

The students demanded the immediate suspension of the officers involved and called for a high-level investigation into the conduct of the security personnel. The protest marks a growing sense of anger among the youth and civil society, as state authorities continue to face mounting pressure to respond decisively.