OTV impact: Airing of CCTV footage helps Odisha police nab accused for ‘assault’ on cops in Bolangir

Odisha police arrested a man accused of assaulting the officer-in-charge of Badmal police outpost in Bolangir district late last night. The arrest was made after CCTV footage of the episode was aired by OTV.

The arrest follows an alleged altercation on Tuesday that had escalated into an attack on the duty personnel inside the outpost.

According to officials and visuals reviewed by OTV, the accused, identified as Ramesh Bastia, entered the outpost with associates and engaged in an argument with police over an undisclosed matter.

The confrontation turned physical, and Bastia allegedly struck the outpost in charge, Harekrushna Majhi. Another policeman who intervened was reportedly manhandled during the chaos.

Arrest Followed Broadcast Of Visuals

While there was no immediate action at the time of the incident, police registered a case after the CCTV recording from inside the outpost, and additional mobile footage of the commotion was broadcast by OTV.

Bastia was subsequently taken into custody, officers said. Details of the specific sections invoked have not been released.

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Details Of The Footage

Notably, the CCTV video from within the outpost captures a heated exchange preceding the assault. The accused is then seen verbally abusing personnel both inside and outside the premises before fleeing.

The footage aligns with on-ground accounts that the confrontation began as a dispute and quickly escalated.

However, the precise cause of the argument that led to the violence has not been clarified. As of the last reports, neither the assaulted officer nor any official from the Badmal outpost or Saintala police station has issued a formal statement on the incident or on the condition of the injured personnel.