Assault of journalist in Odisha’s Balangir: Four including minor arrested

Balangir, May 26: Puintala police in Odisha's Balangir district on Monday arrested four people, including a minor, in connection with the attack on senior television journalist Bijay Kumar Pradhan at Kulthipali village.

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However, the main accused, local contractor Gajendra Dalai, is still on the run. The arrestees have been identified as Abinash Dalai, Aditya Jena, and Gumara Nayak.

According to reports, the incident is linked to allegations of corruption related to a guard wall construction project worth Rs 10 lakh, which recently came to light.

The project was underway in the village and there was no signboard displaying project details. Journalist Bijay Kumar Pradhan had visited the village to collect information and capture footage regarding the alleged irregularities.

He was attacked by a group of miscreants while filming the site. The miscreants tied his hands and legs, paraded him through the village, and then tied him to a pole. He was then brutally beaten for nearly two hours.

Thereafter, the attackers dragged him to a nearby temple and forced him to swear not to report anything about the incident or the construction work. They also destroyed his camera and two mobile phones, and allegedly looted cash from him.

Following the incident, Pradhan filed a written complaint at the Puintala Police Station.

Based on the complaint, police swung into action and the arrests were made.

Meanwhile, a manhunt has been launched to trace and arrest the absconding accused, Gajendra Dalai.

The incident has triggered widespread outrage among journalist associations and civil society groups, who are calling for quick justice and improved protection for media personnel working in the field.