GUWAHATI, March 12: Separatist rebels in Manipur state have taken to shooting exam cheats in the leg in a draconian attempt to clean up the education system, officials said on Tuesday.

Manipur police said at least 10 people had been shot in the past few days.

“It seems that the outlawed Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) is targeting people who use unfair means to help students in examinations,” the state’s additional police chief said.

According to him, the rebels were hoping to “win the sympathy” of local people who complain of corruption in the state education sysytem.

The KYKL is fighting for an independent homeland for the predominantly Hindu Metei community in Manipur.

Two of those shot were invigilators, who were allegedly helping the students to frame their answers.

The police official said local people had not reacted strongly to the shootings as “many think the state’s education system is rotten and there is a need for some drastic overhaul

“But we shall definitely not allow people to take up the law into their hands,” he said.—AFP