Manipur, IMPHAL, August 7: Police bomb experts today conducted search at the offices of local dailies Naharol Thoudang and Hueiyen Lanpao this afternoon around 1pm after unidentified persons claimed to have placed bombs at the two local dailies.
The claim however turned out to be hoax as no explosives were found during the search operations.
Meanwhile, the All Manipur Working Journalist Union president, A Mobi, while condemning the threat, has said that the hoax calls could have been made to instill fear amongst the media houses of the state.
Condemning the act, the president said media persons of the state work day in and day out for the people of the state and such acts to create a fear amongst them is unfortunate and should be condemned by all sane persons.
He further appealed to all not to repeat such actions in the future.
It may be mentioned here that there are at least three groups claiming to be factions of the group which broke away from KYKL and some of these factions have been giving pressure to the media to publish their statements and further threatened journalist and hawkers alike.
The media has a responsibility in disseminating newsworthy issues in the larger interest of the public. President of AMWJU had appealed to the concerned factions to stop victimizing the press and allow functioning in a congenial atmosphere.
Besides the threat on the editors, the PULF (Akbar) group had threatened all the media houses to publish a news item which is against the guidelines of Press Council of India (PCI).
Taking serious note on the diktat of the militant outfit, the joint meeting yesterday resolved to condemn it as the act amounted to violation and challenge to `freedom of press` and decided to reject any press release issued by the militant group in future.
