Stung by threats from militants, who often shows sets terms to the media in Manipur, the press fraternity in the North East state has decided to stop publishing newspapers for the third time in the last three months.

Newspapers published from Imphal are unlikely to hit the l there was a permanent solution to the problem. Threats have been issued by two factions of the proscribed People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (Prepak).

A group of terror-struck Imphal-based scribes decided to spend the night at the Imphal Press Club on Wednesday under heavy police security after being targeted by rival factions of (Prepak) for not publishing their statements directed against each other.

Consequently, all newspapers have decided to suspend their publications indefinitely.

The Press in Manipur has found itself in a soup because of pressure from both the government and insurgents. The state government of Manipur recently issued 'dos' and dont's for the press, asking it to avoid publishing statements related to militant organisations.

To make matter worse, the insurgents resort to issuing threat to train their guns on scribes for mailing to publish statements issued by the groups. Such threat issued by Prepak ultras had resulted in suspension of publications of newspapers in Manipur on two earlier occasions during August and September this year.