Imphal, October 11 2009: Taking strong exception against the conduct of some Imphal West police commandos, wherein they threatened two reporters last night at about 10 near Shamu Makhong at gun point and used highly insulting words, the All Manipur Working Journalists' Union has decided to boycott all development news of the Government till their demand to give fitting punishment to the police commandos involved in the incident as well as take up certain policies to cleanse the Police Department is met.

The decision was taken during an emergency meeting today evening.

Announcing this in a statement, a statement issued by AMWJU said that two reporters, A Birjit of Kangla Pao and Priyo Achom of Image TV, were returning home after the day's work, yesterday at about 10 pm.

At BT Road, near Shamu Makhong, the two reporters were detained by a team of Imphal West police commandos and threatened with a gun, with the cock raised.

Even though the two identified themselves are reporters, the two were separated and interrogated and subjected to highly insulting jibes, said AMWJU.

Quoting the statement of the two reporters, AMWJU said the tipsy police commandos poked jibes at them, claiming, "You scribes are connected to underground elements, se if they are carrying any incriminating documents".

One of the reporters was kicked and even threatened with a gun, with the cock raised.

"In future don't come along this route after 10 in the night, or else you will be killed," threatened the police commandos.

AMWJU strongly condemns the acts of the police commandos, who are supposed to protect the civilians but instead act like common goons, said the statement.

Decrying the incident, AMWJU said that the act of the police commandos was in line with their haughtiness and high handedness and is a culmination of the free hand given to them to kill anyone with ease.

The atrocities and trigger happy culture of the police commandos has today come to affect the media too, AMWJU observed.

Asserting that the State police has today become synonymous with a Rogue Police Force, AMWJU said that the October 10 incident comes close on the heels of some people from Thoubal Leishangthem and Thoudam, the home Constituency of the Chief Minister storming media offices, under escort provided by some police men, as well as distributing pamphlets against the media.

Judging from the manner in which the reporters were threatened so non-chalantly by the police commandos, there is ground to believe that such line of action was taken up under instructions from the Ibobi Government and the top brass of the police authority, charged AMWJU.

To make the police force a disciplined force and a people friendly department, there is the pressing need to totally overhaul the system, starting from the very top to the grass root level of the Police Department, added AMWJU.

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