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Imphal, May 26 : A professor of Manipur University was shot dead by three unidentified assailants on the campus around noon today.

Md Islamuddin, 53, a professor of economics and the proctor of the university, was heading for the library when the attack came. A bullet entered the left side of his stomach and exited from the right. He was declared brought dead by doctors at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences here.

The Pangal Students Organisation has called a 24-hour Manipur bandh from midnight and announced the closure of the administrative block of the university with immediate effect in protest against the killing.

No one saw the professor being attacked but some students saw three youths speeding away from the scene on two-wheelers at 12.15pm. There were no armed guards on the campus at the time, though armed policemen were manning the main entrance of the university as usual.

The president of MU Teachers’ Association, Maibam Ranjit Singh, who took the professor to the hospital in a car, said: “I was in my office. A student rushed in and said Islamuddin was hurt. We rushed out and found him lying in a pool of blood.”

The scene of crime was said to be very close to the library building.

Prof. Amar Yumnam of the economics department said Islamuddin was in his room shortly before the attack and was shot after he walked out. “I heard the gunshots, but did not take it seriously as we are used to hearing such sounds from the Assam Rifles firing range which is located very close to the university.”

“What was his fault? Why did they kill him?” the professor’s widow Farana Bibi wept as an ambulance carried away his body from the casualty ward of RIMS to the mortuary.

Sources on campus said the attack could be linked to the controversial election of the MU Students Union, which was held last month. A section of students had alleged irregularities in the poll process.

After the election row, Islamuddin, who was popular among teachers and students, resigned from the post of dean of students’ welfare but continued to be the proctor, in-charge of maintenance of peace on the campus.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

After the incident, police cordoned off the university and conducted raids. They carried out verification of all those present on campus, but there was no report of any arrests. Investigations are on.

Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, education minister L. Jayentakumar, a host of ministers, legislators and senior officials of the university, including vice-chancellor C. Amuba, went to the hospital.

“This is the most cowardly act of killing a teacher on campus. We will not spare anyone involved in it,” Ibobi Singh said. Such incidents will not deter the people of Manipur from their efforts to make the state a peaceful place to live in, he stated in a release.

The cabinet condemned the killing.

The second semester MA, MSc and MCom examinations were in progress at the university when the professor was attacked. However, the exams continued uninterrupted.

The MU Teachers Association has convened a general body meeting tomorrow.

Condemning the attack, a former president of the MU Students Union, Ksh. Narayan, said Islamuddin’s death was a loss not only for the university but also for the state. “This should not be repeated,” he said.

This is the second time officials of the university have been targeted. In December 2004, the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup had abducted the then vice-chancellor, Ng. Bijoy Singh, who is now a Manipur Peoples Party legislator, and the then registrar, R.K. Ranjan Singh, on charges of corruption. They had shot Bijoy Singh in the legs.