IMPHAL: All Manipur newspapers were not published on Thursday to protest against "interference" by a proscribed underground organisation, which "banned" a vernacular daily for its "failure" to identify the People's Liberation Army, armed wing of the Revolutionary People's Front, whose members had allegedly abducted Manipur University Students Union (MUSU) president Kundongbam Ashokkumar on Monday.

Besides Matamgi Yakairol, the cable network, Information Service Television (ISTV) was banned.

The All-Manipur Working Journalists' Union and the Editors Forum, Manipur, held a meeting till late Wednesday night. The outfit agreed to lift the ban on condition that the newspaper publish corrections for the "lapse".

ISTV was asked to telecast repeatedly the footage of an MUSU leaders' press conference, where the PLA was mentioned. As no agreement was not reached, the newspapers decided to stop publication.

Meanwhile, thousands of school and college students sat in protest on all major roads in Manipur to protest against the beating up of some students and the abduction of Ashokkumar.Men and women from Heirok in Thoubal district, about 40 km from Imphal, came here on foot to submit a memorandum to Chief

Minister Okram Ibobi. Ashokkumar hails from Thoubal district. The police said a manhunt was launched but there was no clue to his whereabouts.

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