3 min readImphalJan 4, 2023 09:22 PM IST
First published on: Jan 4, 2023 at 09:22 PM IST
Manipur police Wednesday briefly detained the editor of a local daily for commenting on the ‘war against drugs’ campaign of the state government during a discussion hour on a local TV channel.
Ningombam Hemantakumar, the editor of Sanaleibak, was picked up from his residence in Imphal East district early Wednesday morning. After several hours of detention, at a police station, he was later freed. It was later learnt that no FIR was lodged against Hemantakumar.
Meanwhile, irked by the alleged highhandedness of the police, the All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU) and Editors Guild Manipur (EGM) vehemently condemned the detention.
Hemantakumar was conferred with the best editor award by the state in November last year for his contributions to “National Integration & Communal Harmony” as a part of the national press day celebration.
Speaking to indianexpress.com, Hemantakumar said the detention was “unnecessary”. “The officer in-charge of the police station could have called me personally instead of bringing his entire force to my residence and creating a fear psychosis in my locality. I am not a criminal. I had expressed my opinion so that the state’s campaign against drugs could be more effective,” said Hemantakumar.
An emergency meeting of the AMWJU and EGM was also convened at the Manipur Press Club Wednesday. The meeting strongly condemned the manner in which Hemantakumar was picked up from his residence in the early hours by a team from the Irilbung police station in Imphal East District.
“Hemantakumar is a respected editor and is not an absconder and the manner in which he was picked up for his statement in a panel discussion on a local TV channel affects his dignity and stature in society,” said a joint statement issued by AMWJU and EGM.
“The concerned officers could have simply invited him for a discussion during office hours as no case has been registered against him and he was set free after some hours,” the statement added.
The meeting also resolved to place before the state government to ensure that such “unsavoury” incidents do not recur in the future. “If such avoidable incidents happen again, the journalist fraternity will not take it lying down and all efforts to safeguard the journalists of the state will be taken up, including legal action,” cautioned the joint statement.
Ningombam Hemantakumar, the editor of Sanaleibak, was picked up from his residence in Imphal East district early Wednesday morning. (Twitter/@INCManipur) 
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