Other States - Orissa   

Probe into attack on journalists begins

CUTTACK: The Cuttack police after registering a case has started investigating as to how the result booklets of matriculation supplementary examination were available in open market on Wednesday before the results were officially announced. The police are also investigating into the attack on journalists by some Board of Secondary Education (BSE) staff that took place at the BSE office on the eve of publication of results.

The ghost of matriculation mark scandal involving the son of a former minister resurfaced once again when some employees stopped the local reporters from entering into the Board office and attacked them. The media persons had come to the Board office in the morning for collecting news pertaining to the publication of examination results.

Protesting against what they called “Gagging the Press”, reporters from both print and electronic media staged a dharna in front of the Board office demanding stern action against the erring staff. District SP S.K. Priyadarshi after receiving an FIR had assured that a case would be registered and the culprits would be booked soon.

Trouble began when reporters stumbled upon some result booklets being sold at a premium outside the Board office around 10.15 a.m. although, the result was officially scheduled to be made public at 11 a.m. Sensing some more trouble ahead, some Board staff physically restrained the media men from entering into the office.

“Soon a commotion ensued as some employees all of a sudden hurling filthy and obscene languages charged at the media men and went on assaulting the cameramen particularly”, said the FIR signed by over 20 journalists. “All this incident took place in front of the Board secretary P.K. Samal who is believed to have instigated his staff to throw the media men out”, alleged a cameraman of a private TV channel. The erring staff even tried to snatch my camera but failing which they spitted on it, the cameraman added.

Requesting the media men to call off their dharna, Priyadarshi assured that if during investigation it was learnt that the attack on Press had any link with the matriculation mark scandal then he would bring that to the notice of the State crime branch. The crime branch police are currently investigating into the role of some Board staff in the mark scandal in which the son of former minister Bishnu Das had got inflated marks.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

General council of OSA formed
Poor pass percentage in suppl. exam
PESA fails to ensure grassroots level planning
Debate contest
CS-4 cell test for HIV patients
Intra-party tussle brews in BJD
Probe into attack on journalists begins
High Court directive to drug controller
Man commits suicide
CPI (M) blames State for adopting anti-people approach
Naveen urges Central aid to Orissa
Strict vigil on distilleries

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu