The Hindu : Militants release journalists

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 11, 2002

National

National

Militants release journalists

Imphal Oct. 10. Two journalists kidnapped by Kuki militants were freed today in Manipur's Chandel district, official sources said. Yumnam Arun of Eastern Panorama and Iboyaima Laithangbam of The Hindu were let off at Pallel, about 45 km from here.

However, two others who were also kidnapped along with the journalists from Sinam village area in the district on October 8 are still being held hostage by the United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF). — PTI

Laithangbam reports:

We were escorted back from a temporary camp of the UKLF. The outfit's ``commander'', Lt. Mingthang, told us that we were being taken to protest ``poor coverage'' of the UKLF activities. The local newspapers which were not publishing its handouts ``properly'' might be banned. Besides, any journalist ``captured'' in future would face the music.

We were taken to a mountain infested by wild animals and held there for four hours. We were not harassed. However, we lost a digital camera, a tape-recorder, a radio receiver set and some money during the ambush.A Maruti van which was preceding our vehicle ignored the militants' signal to stop. The ultras opened fire but nobody was hurt.

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