Loyalakpa; Demands Urgent Inquiry
New Delhi: The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) expresses its deep shock and strongest condemnation over the cowardly attack on Khoiram Loyalakpa, Editorin-Chief of the Manipuri vernacular daily Naharolgi Thoudang and President of the Manipur Hockey Association.
On the night of Wednesday, February 18, 2026, around 10:00 PM, armed miscreants
intercepted Mr. Loyalakpa’s vehicle near the Hatta War Cemetery in Imphal East. The
assailants fired at least two rounds of bullets at his car before dragging him out and physically
assaulting him with blunt objects, causing serious injuries to his face and teeth. Mr.
Loyalakpa was rushed to the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) for
treatment. In a joint statement, IJU President Geetartha Pathak and IJU Secretary General Vinod Kohli termed the incident a “calculated attempt to muzzle the free press” in Manipur.
“The brutal assault on a senior editor like Khoiram Loyalakpa is not just an attack on an
individual but a direct strike on the freedom of the fourth estate,” said IJU President
Geetartha Pathak. “It is alarming that journalists in Manipur continue to be targeted by
armed elements with such impunity. We demand that the state government conduct an
intensive, time-bound inquiry to identify the perpetrators and bring them to book
immediately.”
IJU Secretary General Vinod Kohli, who issued the statement, expressed concern over the
deteriorating safety standards for media professionals in the region.
“The IJU stands in complete solidarity with the All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union
(AMWJU) and the Editors’ Guild of Manipur (EGM) in their protest against this heinous
act,” Vinod Kohli stated. “We call upon the newly sworn-in Chief Minister of Manipur, Shri
Yumnam Khemchand Singh, to take personal cognizance of this matter. The government
must ensure a secure environment where journalists can perform their duties without fear of bullets or physical intimidation. Silence or delay from the administration will only embolden such lawless elements.”
The IJU further noted that this is not the first time Mr. Loyalakpa has been targeted,
following a previous attack on his residence in 2024. The Union urges the Manipur state
police to expedite the investigation into the FIR registered at Porompat Police Station and
ensure that the “armed miscreants” behind this ambush do not escape the clutches of the law.
