Scribe covering anti-drug drive attacked
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 09 2022: A volunteer of Youth Athletic Development Association (YADA) and a reporter of Naharolgee Thoudang daily were injured when some youths assaulted a team of BJYM and YADA, who was carrying out a drug bust in Hatta Golapati area on Thursday night.

In this connection, Porompat police has arrested two individuals namely Bogimayum Nazir Khan (24) and Bogimayum Abbas Khan (22), both sons of Md Wali Khan of Hatta Golapati Maning Leikai.

They were produced before CJM Imphal East court and remanded to police custody for four days.

Police source said that BJYM and YADA members carried out the drive in Hatta Golapati Maning Leikai area on Thursday around 11:30 pm.

The joint team rounded up the two individuals along with 95 vials of heroin and an air pistol, and handed them over to Porompat police station.

In the process, the team faced strong opposition from the local people resulting in a tussle during which one YADA volunteer, and a scribe, who went to cover the drug bust, were injured.

Meanwhile, All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU) and Editors' Guild Manipur (EGM) strongly condemned the assault on media person during the incident.

In a statement, AMWJU said that assaulting Naharolgee Thou-dang reporter W Johnson, who was wearing Press vest, by some drug traffickers even though he identified himself as a media person, is highly condemnable.

It was the swift response of the escort security personnel of BJYM president that saved the reporter from the mob, the statement said.

AMWJU and EGM also thanked the security personnel for their swift response, and also demanded appropriate action against those involved in the mob.

The statement also appealed to the people of the state to refrain from obstructing media persons from doing their duties.

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