Mail News Service
\nImphal, Jan 7: Journalists of the state under the aegis of All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU) today staged a protest rally against threats to scribes by militants. As the protests were going on a bomb was lobbed near the office of an English daily the Sangai Express. Chief Minister, O Ibobi Singh while discussing the matter with senior members of the Union assured to beef up security around newspaper houses and issuance of licence guns to scribes was also discussed.
\nEarlier on Jan 2 a bomb was placed at the office of a vernacular daily Naharolgi Thougdang by suspected members of KCP (MC) Lanchen. From Jan 8 all newspapers offices were guarded by state police force. As decided by AMWJU a rally was taken out today at Tiddim Road and culminated at Press Club. As the scribes met at Press Club news came in that another bomb was placed near the office of Sangai Express. The bomb was removed by bomb experts.
\nConcerned over the development Chief Minister, O Ibobi Singh and senior journalists took stock of the situation and the CM has assured to take up adequate security to protect the scribes.<\/p>\n
A team of Imphal West police retrieved the handgrenade and later defused, police said, adding that an investigation has been launched in connection with the attack.
\nPlacards which read like \u201cStop attack on media\u201d, \u201cIs media your target?\u201d, \u201cDon\u2019t threaten the media\u201d, \u201cDon\u2019t extort publicity from media\u201d, \u201cIs attacking the media justified?\u201d, \u201cWe have no friends no foes\u201d, \u201cMedia has no enemy\u201d were seen holding by scribes.
\nA powerful handgrenade which was wrapped in a nice small box was found planting at the corridor of Naharolgee Thoudang local newspaper on January 2 last by a militant group had claimed the responsibility after which the State Government provided security forces for all the media houses in the State on the next day after the incident.
\n The AMWJU condemned the throwing of bomb last night around 11 pm . Media is the mirror of the society and threat to media houses is nowadays unknown A. Mobi President said. <\/p>\n\n