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Manipur Police detain journalist over comments on drugs, poppy cultivation
Hemantakumar Ningombam was picked up from his residence in Imphal East at 7am on Wednesday and detained at a police station till 10am
The Manipur Police detained an editor of a local daily for hours allegedly over his comments on a TV channel on the drug menace in the state and poppy cultivation.
Hemantakumar Ningombam was picked up from his residence in Imphal East at 7am on Wednesday and detained at a police station till 10am.
All Manipur Working Journalists Union and Editors’ Guild condemned Ningomba’s detention. “Hemantakumar is a respected editor and is not an absconder and the manner in which he was picked up for his statement in a panel discussion in a local TV channel affects his dignity and stature in society,” they said in a joint statement.
“The concerned police officer could have simply invited him for a discussion during office hours as no case has been registered against him.”
The statement asked the government to ensure such incidents do not recur. “If such an avoidable incident happens again, the journalist fraternity will not take it lying down and all efforts to safeguard the journalists including legal action will be taken up.”
In 2021, the Manipur Police detained journalists Sadokpam Dhiren and Paojel Chaoba over an article published in a news portal.
Journalist Kishorechandra Wangkhem and activist Erendro Leichombam were in 2021 booked under the National Security Act (NSA) over social media posts on the death of state BJP chief S Tikendra Singh.
Wangkhem was also booked under NSA after he posted a video on Facebook criticising Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018. He was jailed for more than four months.
