11 firearms, war-like stores recovered in Manipur
Imphal (PTI): Security forces recovered at least 11 firearms and war-like stores in Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts of Manipur, police said on Friday.
The arms included one country-made AK rifle with magazine, one lathode gun, four country-made pistols with magazine, three country-made single-barrel rifles, one country-made Sten carbine and four 'Pumpis'.
The Pumpi is an umbrella term used for various improvised light weapons.
Besides, "military gears including BP jacket, helmet, Baofeng Walkie Talkie Set without antenna, and a pair of jungle boots were recovered from the forest of Maovom village" in Churachandpur district on Thursday, the police said in a statement.
In another operation, a .32 pistol with two empty magazines and two live rounds of .32 mm ammunition were recovered from Wangoo Naodakhong area in Bishnupur district on Thursday.
One person was also arrested for possessing an illegal handgun in Imphal East district.
"Security forces continue to conduct search operations and area domination in the fringe and vulnerable areas across districts," the statement said.
Manipur, which witnessed the killing of at least 260 people in ethnic violence since May 2023, is currently under President’s rule. The strife between the Meitei and Kuki communities also rendered thousands of people homeless, forcing them to stay in relief camps.
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Time has come to decriminalise defamation law: Supreme Court
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court has observed that the time has come to decriminalise the defamation law, while agreeing to examine a plea by the Foundation for Independent Journalism seeking to quash the summons issued to it in a criminal defamation case.
A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma issued notice to former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) professor Amita Singh.
The apex court passed the remark while hearing the plea of the organisation, which runs The Wire news portal, and its political affairs editor Ajoy Ashirwad Mahaprashasta.
"I think time has come to decriminalise all this..." Justice Sundresh observed orally.
The top court was hearing a plea challenging a trial court order issuing summons to them in a defamation case filed by the former JNU professor over the publication of the dossier.
The complainant had argued before the lower court that the accused people had launched a hate campaign against her to malign her reputation.
This is the second round of litigation on the alleged defamatory report published by the portal.
The Delhi High Court in 2023 had quashed the summons issued to them. The top court, however, reversed the order and remanded the matter for fresh consideration before the trial court.
The trial court again issued a summons, and the high court also upheld it.
