Notwithstanding the appalling telephonic instructions by an underground militant group to some newspaper offices, most of the editors and senior reporters continued to sell newspaper copies for the second day on Sunday.
The distributors and paper boys are abstaining from works at the behest of the militant group the readers have not been getting their copies for over 9 days. Some editors and reporters told The Hindu that they will continue to sell newspaper copies. Meanwhile, informal talks have started among the members of the All Manipur Newspapers Sale and Distributors Association to resume duty since being daily wage earners are facing financial crunch.
A militant outfit had banned publication and distribution of the local newspapers as retaliation to the spiking of its press releases.
Almost all newspapers have published reports and editorial comments on the surprising failure of the police to track down the mobile calls of the militants who have been browbeating the scribes. The scathing reports said that the mobile telephone numbers used by the militants in browbeating the editors, reporters and distributors had been made available to police and yet so far the callers have not been pulled up.
Police and intelligence agencies have been pinpointing the places from where such calls are made by militants and many of them had been arrested. Some editorial comments said that there are reasons to believe that the militants who are thus banning the publication and sale of newspapers are ensconced in a "very safe place" where police dare not raid.
During meetings with the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh and the Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam Gangmei, the editors and reporters had informed them of the "police inaction" in this regard. Both had assured to look into the matter.
There is no indication from the militant group that it will relax its ban order on media.
