India, Feb. 19 -- Abhijit Khataniar, Vice President of the Doomdooma Press Club in Assam's Tinsukia district, has strongly condemned the armed attack on Khoirom Loyalakpa, editor-in-chief of the Manipuri vernacular daily Naharolgi Thoudang, on Thursday evening, describing it as a grave threat to press freedom and democratic values.

The statement came hours after the incident in which unidentified assailants intercepted Loyalakpa's vehicle near Hatta War Cemetery in Imphal East district around 10 pm on Wednesday.

According to police, the attackers fired two rounds at the vehicle's left window glass, then overpowered the editor and assaulted him with a hard object, causing injuries to his face and teeth. Loyalakpa, who is also president o...