Imphal: The Manipur Hill Journalists’ Union (MHJU) has strongly condemned the bomb attack on the twin offices of ‘Poknapham’ and ‘The People’s Chronicles’, located at the heart of Imphal on February 13, 2021.
Terming the attack on “the fourth pillar of democracy” as a cowardly act, MHJU warned the culprits to refrain from such acts in future. The MHJU urged the concerned authority to book the culprits and gave befitting punishment as per law.
The MHJU also appreciated in its statement the steps taken in connection with the incident by AMWJU and EGM and support the call for 48 hours cease work strike starting February 16, 2021. It further informed that “all publications under MHJU will cease until further notice”.
An unidentified person lobbed a hand grenade at the front gate of ‘The Poknapham’ daily newspaper in Manipur. The attack was carried out at its located at Keishampat Thiyam Leirak on Saturday evening around 6:38 pm. The grenade, however, failed to explode. Later, a team of Manipur Police safely retrieved the same.
After the incident, an emergency joint meeting of All Manipur Working Journalist Union (AMWJU) and Editors’ Guild Manipur (EGM) resolved to cease publication and broadcasting of news with immediate effect. Denouncing repeated attacks on scribes, the joint meet further resolved to stage a sit-in-protest at Keishampat Leimajam Leikai Community hall on Sunday.
