The Odisha Human Right Commission (OHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of a journalist being shackled to a hospital bed for over four hours after being assaulted at a police station in Baleshwar district in eastern Odisha.
The inhuman treatment of Loknath Dalei, the Nilagiri correspondent of the Odia daily, Sambad, at the Baleshwar District Headquarter Hospital followed his arrest over a ‘minor altercation’ with a home guard after a collision involving their bikes. On April 4, the journalist’s bike collided with the bike of Niranjan Rana, a home guard with the Nilagiri police station. An annoyed Mr. Dalei snatched Mr. Rana’s helmet, saying he would return it only after the damage to his bike was paid for. However, he then returned Mr. Rana’s helmet and left the place.
“The home guard had perhaps felt offended and lodged a complaint against me. I then went to police station to clear the air, “ said Mr Dalei. “ However, when I was about to explain the incident, Nilagiri inspector in charge Ms. Draupadi Das kicked me and other officers joined in beating me. I fell unconscious. Subsequently, I was admitted to the Nilagiri hospital and then referred to the Baleshwar district hospital.”
