Manipur media bodies protest over bomb threat to senior editor

IMPHAL: Manipur media bodies have decided to launch protests in the wake of recovery of a hand grenade at the residence of an editor-in-chief of a local cable channel and a telephone threat purportedly by some unidentified activists.

All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU) and Editor' Guild Manipur (EGM) took the decision at a joint meeting here.

Police said that a Chinese-made hand grenade wrapped in a polythene bag was found at the entry gate of the residence of Yumnam Rupachandra, the News Editor-in-Chief of local cable channel Impact TV, at Singjamei area in the district on December 14 that was subsequently defused by bomb disposal squad personnel.

At the joint meeting of AMWJU and EGM yesterday evening at Manipur Press Club, the scribes decided to launch a series of protests this week which included one-day pen down strike and sit-in protest at Keisampat in the state capital.

In yesterday's meeting, Y Rupachandra said he had received a phone call on the night of December 14 at his office.

He said that the unidentified caller informed him about planting a bomb at his residential gate as a warning to not cover their organisational press release issued earlier.

Rupachandra further informed that about a month ago, he had received phone calls from unidentified persons asking him to cover their press release.

In the meeting, some other AMWJU members also reported of having received similar calls.

The officer said there was a piece of paper in the packet of grenade, which had the name of a local outfit scribbled on it.