OTV scribe attacked for covering child marriage, hospitalised

Cuttack: In a bizarre incident, two journalists of OTV were beaten up mercilessly while covering a child marriage incident at Khalarda village under Sadar police limits in the district today.

OTV's Cuttack reporter Pravat Bisoyi, who has been critically injured in the attack, is undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital here while camera person Smruti Samant luckily escaped from the clutches of the irate mob.

Officials of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), who rushed to the spot on a tip-off to foil the illegal act, were not spared by the attackers either. The family members of both the bride and the groom attacked and evicted them from the spot.

According to sources, the CWC was tipped off that a man of Bhanpur village under Sadar Police limits was tying the knot with a minor girl of Khlarda village under the same police jurisdiction.

On being informed about it, OTV correspondent and video journalist rushed there to cover the news. Around 40 people belonging to the bride and groom’s families locked the duo in a room. The camera person managed to give a slip to the mob while reporter Bisoyi fell prey to the mob.

Later, police rescued and admitted him to the hospital with the help of fellow journalists.

Meanwhile, Cuttack DCP Sanjeev Arora sent a team of policemen to the spot. “A team of police led by an assistant commissioner of police (ACP) has been sent to the spot for investigation. All the accused will be arrested soon”, Arora said.

The DCP later visited the hospital and enquired about the health condition of the city journalist.

DGP KB Singh said-“Nine accused have been detained at Sadar Police station and are being interrogated. I have asked the Commissionerate police to take the matter seriously”.