The Editors' Guild in Manipur on Monday decided to halt all media-related activities and publish blank editorial pages to protest against a hand grenade being found at the gates of an evening daily PANDAM, located at Wahengbam in Imphal West district.
The police said the Chinese-made grenade was suspected to be left behind by cadres of the banned KCP-MC outfit.
The suspected militants also left a note, which read: "It is a new year gift to the paper of Manipur".
Protesting the bomb threat, the Editors’ Guild decided in a meeting later in the day to stage a sit-in on Tuesday morning, resolved to stop all media-related activities and leave the editorial page blank for Tuesday’s edition, said Guild president A Mubi.
The bomb was found wrapped in a white plastic bag at 6 pm and the bomb disposal squad of the Manipur police defused it by 6.30 pm, as reported by The Sangai Express.
According to sources, unknown persons identifying themselves as KCP’s cadres called the Editor of the paper to inform them about the hand grenade being planted in their office. None of the employees or the Editors were in the office, but they phoned the police immediately.
The police came and cordoned off the area and the bomb was defused soon after. The note found had the word “Danger” written on it with red ink.
In the guild meeting, the newspaper decided to print “We condemn placing bomb at the office of PANDAM” in their editorial space and nothing else.
Protesting intimidation, the state’s media fraternity decided to suspend work and stage a protest from 10 am to 4 pm.
The EGM appealed to all members of the media to help protect the freedom of the press by supporting the protest.
Source: The Sangai Express, PTI
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