Imphal, June 13 2009: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is scheduled to record statements of as many as 29 witnesses in connection with the case of murder of 22 year-old Konsam Rishikanta, junior sub-editor of the local daily Imphal Free Press on November 17, 2008 .

Manipur government has entrusted, the central investigative agency, CBI to probe into the sensitive case of murder of the journalist by miscreants.

Rishikanta was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at high-security Langol area in Imphal west district where three entry points to it were heavily guarded by commandos and other state forces.

CBI will conduct hearing of the witnesses of the cases for eight days starting from 16 of this current month till 23, official source here said Saturday adding that during the hearing statements of 29 witnesses will be taken.

The hearing will be conducted at its branch office at Lamphelpat, Imphal by the officials of the CBI in Imphal and from Kolkata.

Among the witnesses whose statements are to be recorded include friends of the deceased journalists, police personnel, owners of the mobile phone who had contact with him on the day of killing him, the source disclosed.

Scribes in Manipur under the banner of All Manipur Working Journalists' Union had protested the killing of the young trainee journalists demanding prompt action and punishment for the culprits, who were involved in the murder.

Publication of newspapers in Imphal had even suspended as journalists went on cease work strike for two weeks which led to Manipur chief minister, Okram Ibobi Singh finally sought a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the incident.

This would be the first case which Manipur government handed over the case of killing journalists to the Central investigative agency.

Trouble-torn Manipur has lost five editor-journalists to miscreants' attack since 1993 .