Attack on scribes in Odisha: Journalist delegate meets SEC, demand action against accused persons

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Bhubaneswar: A team of journalists met State Election Commissioner (SEC), Odisha over the attack on scribes and demanded stringent action against the accused persons on Sunday.

The journalists’ team, which included the Chief Editors of different media houses and senior freelancers, demanded that all the accused persons should be arrested by this evening and FIRs should be filed against them under relevant IPC sections which are usually applied while the polling officials are attacked.

The journalists’ team also demanded the security of the media persons while on Panchayat election duty.

Earlier today, three journalists namely Debashis Sahoo, Gulshan Ali Nawaz and Bijay Sahoo from leading private Odia channels, were brutally assaulted while covering the third phase of Panchayat polls in Jajpur district on Sunday.

Meanwhile, State Election Commissioner, Odisha AP Padhi condemned the attack on journalists during polling of votes in Panchayat Elections in Jajpur. He also directed the district administration and DG Police to arrest and take exemplary action against the accused persons.

They were beaten up when they had gone to cover the alleged loot of ballot boxes from two booths no 4 and 6 at Bachala Panchayat under Binjharpur block of the district. The miscreants reportedly threw the boxes in a nearby pond. The vehicles of the journalists were also reportedly ransacked.

It is to be noted here that on February 16, four journalists were brutally assaulted by miscreants, who were trying to capture a booth by force, during the first phase of polling for the three-tier Panchayat elections at Badal Panchayat under Kanas block in Puri.

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