Newspapers in Manipur failed to hit the stands on Saturday, as media houses decided not to bring out any issue protesting the killing of a newspaper hawker by combined forces of police commandos and 16th Assam Rifles.
Condemning the killing of Maibam Homendro, a newspaper hawker, the All Manipur Newspaper Sales and Distributors’ Association (AMNSDA) in a statement demanded an enquiry into the September 24 incident, which took place in Sangaithel area in Imphal west district.
Officials had earlier said that Homendro was killed in an encounter with a team of police commandos and 16th Assam Rifles personnel and a small arm was also recovered from the possession of the victim.
Joint Action Committee (JAC) denied the official version and said that Homendro was an ‘innocent newspaper hawker’ adding that the small arm was placed near his body after he was killed.
