ACTIVIST HURT IN COP ASSAULT AT SUKTEL SITE
Tuesday, 30 April 2013 |
SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar.
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3
4Social
activist and documentary filmmaker Amitabh Patra was assaulted by the police
while he was covering the villagers’ protests against the Lower Suktel
Irrigation Project at the dam construction site in Balangir district on Monday
when the project construction work entered 21st day.
The project area turned
into a battleground with the police assaulting several people, including Patra
who also works for a private TV channel.
Speaking to this
correspondent at the hospital here, Patra said, “To disperse the people
opposing the project, the police made a lathi-charge. The police were
assaulting a girl brutally before me and I was covering the incident. Hence,
the police targeted and brutally assaulted me. I do not know the fate of my
camera and mobile phone and other items of my TV channel. The incident took
place before the SDPO and the Sub-Collector which is unfortunate in a
democracy.”
Patra sustained injuries
on his head, nose, back and leg and has been admitted to the District
Headquarters Hospital here.
On the other hand,
Balangir SP R Praksh told this correspondent, “Amitabha Patra was staying
in the area since last two days and instigating the people. More than 300
people were present with deadly weapons. They were warned by the Sub-Divisional
Magistrate to disperse peacefully. Lenin Mohanty and Amitabh Patra instigated
the agitators to indulge in violence and forcibly entered the dam site. In that
skirmish between the police and the agitators, Amitabh Patra got injured and
was sent for medical examination.”
Sixteen persons were
arrested from the spot. They would be medically examined before being forwarded
to court, the SP added.
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