Grenade attack at editor's house in Manipur

Days after a militant group threatened senior journalists of Manipur, unidentified men exploded a grenade at the residence of A Mobi, editor of vernacular daily Sanaleibak and president of the All Manipur Working Journalists' Union, the police said on Sunday.

However, no casualty or injury was reported.

The militants fled after hurling the grenade at around 9 pm on Saturday night when Mobi was present at the house.

An AMWJU spokesman said a militant group, the name of which was being withheld, had issued a press statement a few days ago threatening certain individuals after levelling charges against them and wanted media houses to publish it.

As the statement was against the guidelines of the Press Council of India, media houses refused to publish it angering the outfit that threatened journalists with dire consequences for disobeying their diktat, he said.

After the grenade attack, a team of editors and senior journalists went to Home Minister Gaikhangam's residence late Saturday night and apprised him of the incident.

Gaikhangam asked the police to nab the culprits but they were yet to be arrested, the spokesman said adding that scribes have condemned the incident at an emergency meeting.

Official sources said security measures were tightened at media houses and residential areas of the editors following instruction from the home minister.

The AMWJU spokesman said several editors of local dailies received emails by this particular outfit cautioning them to be careful while moving on the roads.

Other militant outfits had also issued threats to media houses if their statements were not published, he said.

AMWJU appealed to all concerned including militant outfits to stop victimising the media and allow its smooth functioning in a congenial atmosphere, he said.

An unidentified caller last week had informed two media houses that bombs had been planted at their premises but nothing was found during search.

About 10 days ago, another militant group threatened the editors to shoot them for not publishing their statement.

Conflict between militants and the media had led to non-publication of newspapers several times in the past.