Wednesday, the police in Manipur detained for a short period of time the editor of a local daily newspaper for making comments on the "war against drugs" campaign being waged by the state government during a debate hour on a local television channel.The editor of Sanaleibak, Ningombam Hemantakumar, was taken from his home in the Imphal East district very early on Wednesday morning. Later on, following his imprisonment at a police station for a period of several hours, he was released. After some time had passed, it became clear that Hemantakumar had not been the subject of any formal police report. In the meantime, both the All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU) and the Editors Guild Manipur (EGM) have angrily criticized the detention. Both organizations are angered by the alleged heavy-handedness of the police.
In the meantime, both the All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU) and the Editors Guild Manipur (EGM) have angrily criticized the detention. Both organizations are angered by the alleged heavy-handedness of the police.
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As part of the celebration of national press day, the state government presented Hemantakumar with an award for "Best Editor" in November of the previous year. The honor was given in recognition of his services to "National Integration & Communal Harmony."According to Hemantakumar, the imprisonment was "completely unwarranted." "The officer in charge of the police station should have phoned me directly instead of bringing his entire force to my apartment and creating a panic psychosis in my neighborhood," the officer said. "This would have been a better use of everyone's time." I am not a criminal. "I had voiced my opinion in the hopes that the state's operation against narcotics would be strengthened as a result," Hemantakumar explained.
At the Manipur Press Club on Wednesday, an emergency meeting of the All Manipur Women Journalists' Union as well as the Executive General Meeting was also held. The manner in which Hemantakumar was taken from his home in the early hours by a squad from the Irilbung police station in the Imphal East District was roundly denounced by the gathering as being extremely inappropriate.The manner in which Hemantakumar was picked up for his statement in a panel discussion on a local TV channel brings into question his dignity and stature in society, as stated in a joint statement issued by AMWJU and EGM. "Hemantakumar is a respected editor and is not an absconder," the statement read.
