Bhubaneswar: The police have arrested four individuals involved in the brutal attack on journalist Bijay Pradhan in Kulthipali village under Puintala police station limits in Bolangir district.
“The arrested accused individuals are Gumar Nayak, Aditya Jena, Abinas Dalai, and Sidhhant Nayak. If any other individual is found to be involved in the attack, they will be apprehended soon. Stringent legal action will be taken against all the accused,” Himanshu Kumar Lal, IG (Northern Range), told Ommcom News.
However, the mastermind behind the attack, local contractor Jagendra Dalei, remains at large. His involvement in the incident is being investigated, Lal added.
The accused are reportedly close associates and relatives of the contractor. According to reports, Pradhan was covering a construction project when he was tied up and beaten by a group of youths. A video of the incident went viral on social media, sparking widespread outrage.
The journalist had lodged a complaint at Puintala police station, alleging that the contractor and his associates were responsible for the attack.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of journalists and the need for accountability in the execution of construction projects. The investigation is underway, and the police are working to apprehend the remaining accused, including the mastermind.
