Imphal, March 19: Two cameras were confiscated from reporters by bandh enforcers along the Moreh route, while the former were coming back to Imphal from the border town today.

Strongly condemning the incident, the All Manipur Working Journalists' Union convened an emergency meeting today evening to discuss the incident.

Two journalists from Imphal had gone to Moreh on March 17 to cover the bandh being enforced at the border town.

With the bandh being enforced so strictly, the reporters, hired a Maruti van to return to Imphal today.

However they were waylaid by the bandh enforcers at two points and their cameras were confiscated.

Narrating their tale, the two reporters said that they along with two Moreh based correspondents set out to return to Imphal from Moreh today with a written consent from the Hill Tribals Council.

The HTC is among the organisations enforcing the bandh.

When the van carrying them approached Kondong Lairembi, bandh supporters stopped then and questioned why they were violating the bandh call.

Despite showing the written permission from the HTC, the bandh supporters dismissed the paper and after checking the vehicle, confiscated a digital camera from one of the reporters and they were let off.

Their trouble did not end there as they were again stopped by bandh supporters at Tengnoupal.

On seeing the paper issued by the HTC, the bandh supporters stamped the paper with a seal of the KSO and let them off.

The reporters were again stopped at Molnoi village by bandh supporters.

Ironically a security post is opened near the village.

The bandh supporters then confiscated a video camera from the reporters.

The bandh supporters asked the reporters to sign a paper to the effect that the incident would not be reported.

Taking strong exception to the harassments meted out to the reporters, the All Manipur Working Journalists' Union convened an emergency meeting today evening and besides condemning the incident urged all not to repeat such acts in the future.

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