Mediamen detained for taking photographs
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, August 03 2014:
A team of media persons who had taken photographs of police frisking was unnecessarily detained for over an hour by the VDF personnel here today only to release after intervention of All Manipur Working Journalists' Union.
The incident occurred in front of Anand Singh Higher Secondary School at Soibam Leikai-New Checkon crossing in Imphal East district at around 2.30 pm today while the media persons, after covering news of a sit-in demonstration at the market shed beside the school, were purchasing some edibles at the nearby shop.
Two of the media persons reportedly took photographs of the uniformed police personnel who were frisking vehicles coming on the road by stopping them at the spot.
Using strong words, the VDF/Police personnel posted there charged the media persons for taking photographs without the permission of SP and themselves.
Even though they identified themselves as journalists, the VDF personnel turned furious asking whether the journalists have freedom to do anything they like.
A brief scuffle followed.
The police personnel detained the team of media persons, without paying any heed to the journalists' offer even to erase the pictures, if they desired.
As the policemen lent a deaf ear to the journalists' appeal to release them for they had to cover news for ILP protests at various other places, the media persons intimated the detention to AMWJU.
AMWJU president Wangkhemcha Shyamjai and Vice-president Ratan Luwangcha rushed to the spot where a team of police led by an SI also reached immediately.
Following a settlement, the detained journalists were released.