Journalist attacked by miscreants in Puri

Puri: A journalist sustained grievous injuries after being attacked by ‘unidentified’ miscreants near Beleswarpatna area in Puri district on Friday. The victim, identified as Bikram Acharya, was reportedly attacked when he had gone to the spot to report an accident.

According to eye witnesses Bikram was attacked while clicking photographs of the damaged vehicles on Puri-Konark marine drive. Five persons have been reportedly injured in the accident.

In his complaint, Bikram alleged that he was attacked by three to four persons. He has sustained multiple injuries in the assault.

Following the attack, the journalist was rescued by officials of Marine Police Station who then rushed him to Puri Sadar hospital in a critical condition.

It is pertinent to mention here that there has been rise in the number of attacks on working journalists in Odisha in the recent past. On January 26, a scribe was allegedly thrashed by a group of youths inside a cinema hall in Bhubaneswar.

The victim, identified as Kapilendra Pradhan, was attacked for opposing a group of students who were passing lewd comments on women.

On January 30, OTV journalist was attacked during coverage of a protest by students of Gada Sri Maa government high school in Paradip. Later, Paradip Lock police arrested one Biswanath Behera in connection with the attack.