Wangkhemcha Shyamjai, editor of a daily eveninger and former president of the All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU), was arrested on Friday morning in a suo motu case registered by Imphal police for allegedly “publishing instigating and unverified news items” amid the ongoing unrest.

A local court has remanded him in three days’ police custody.

The FIR was registered by Imphal West police on December 28 under IPC Sections 153-A/505(1) (b)/505 (2) against Shyamjai, editor of the Kangleipakki Meira, on a complaint lodged by the OC of Imphal police station, K. Abhijeet Singh.

The FIR alleged that the Imphal-based editor of the vernacular evininger was “wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riots, promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place, language”, among others.

The trigger for the suo motu case was a social media post by W. Ratankumar Singh, general secretary, Sunusiphai Ideal Club, claiming that villagers of Sunusiphai under Bishnupur district were “shocked and alarmed on seeing a news column” in the December 24 edition of the Kangleipakki Meira.

The newspaper report said “Kuki militants started attacking by firing five rounds” at the Sunusiphai village at 6pm, according to the police report. Singh claimed that there was peace in the village and such an alarming and misleading report by the editor should not have been published and “instead the editor must publish true and real news” for the public.

Following an inquiry, the police “found” the news in the eveninger “false and alarming” in the midst of the ongoing crisis and one that had “mislead” communities, promoting hatred and enmity.

The report by the OC, Abhijeet Singh, also said the daily eveninger “has been publishing instigating and unverified news items which create panic among general public and also gave opportunity to miscreants to disturb peaceful environment and public order. Hence, a suo motu case under FIR.... has been registered against the Editor...”

The Opposition Congress “strongly” condemned the “undemocratic act of the autocratic BJP regime against our media fraternity”.

“I demand his immediate and unconditional release from police custody,” Manipur PCC chief K. Meghachandra posted on X on Saturday.

The BJP has been heading the state government since 2017.

The arrest has come amid the ongoing unrest between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities that has left at least 195 people dead and over 67,000 displaced since May 3. Efforts at containing the unrest have not yet yielded the desired result with one more death reported on Saturday despite heavy deployment of central security forces. A 35-year-old Meitei village volunteer was killed in Imphal West district in firing by armed miscreants on Saturday.