Ukhrul SP plays 'bad cop' on media, students
Cameras snatched, pictures deleted
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Ukhrul, March 29, 2014:
In a manner highly condemnable, Ukhrul police chief S Selvan donned the role of a bad cop by disrupting the duty of journalists from covering a peaceful rally by students at the mini secretariat here on Saturday.
Three cameras from reporters covering the student's rally were seized by police escort party of Ukhrul Superintendent of Police S Selvan and their pictures deleted from the systems at around 11.30 am today.
The incident occurred when a team of media were on duty at the mini secretariat here.
Ukhrul SP instructed his cops to seize the cameras from the reporters, who were taking pictures of the scene where thousands of students have taken a peaceful march to the mini secretariat to submit a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner of the district.
A team of reporters were snapping photographs of the SP and his escort party in three vehicles recklessly breaking through the students gathered at mini secretariat while causing a terrorizing atmosphere for the innocent school children and jeopardizing their lives.
In full view of school children and public, Selvan, in a manner so unbecoming of an IPS officer and district police chief, ordered his cops to seize the media equipments while picking up distasteful quarrel with representatives of Principals Association of Recognised School (PARS) of Ukhrul.
Journalists on the spot identified themselves of their profession when the SP's escort party tried to snatch their cameras, and even some police personnel reminded among themselves that the former belongs to media fraternity.
He, however, ignored the reporters' plea and unleashed his high-handed action upon the members of Fourth Estate.
People, witnessing the entire episode, have raised serious objection over the manner of the SP and his escort party who reacted rashly in front of the students as if there was a crisis situation.
Members of Ukhrul District Journalists' Association (UDJA) have met and submitted an ultimatum to DC this afternoon.
It demanded that the SP should tender "unconditional apology" to the media latest by 12 noon Sunday.
The UDJA's representation has also been forwarded to Ukhrul SP and Manipur Hill Journalists' Union (MHJU) president and it vehemently condemned the "unwarranted and unlawful action." It also warns of taking recourse to further action in case the district police chief failed to tender his apology.
Saturday's student rally was organized by PARS mainly demanding inclusion of Additional English in the syllabus of Board of Secondary Education of Manipur (BOSEM) among others.