Making a mockery of Press freedom,a police officer on Tuesday assaulted and injured ETV's Phulbani correspondent, Sadashiv Patra and also damaged his camera.The officer,who happens to be the assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of Phiringia police station,allegedly also assaulted two other persons having their meal in a dhaba.
Sources said ETV correspondent had to bear the brunt of the ASI's ire when he went to the dhaba to inquite about the attack on the two men eating there. One of them had apparently informed Sadashiv about the incident and requested him to come to the spot.
When Sadashiv began making inquiries,the enraged ASI launched a physical attack on him and also thew away his cemera and the boom. Later the correspondent lodged an FIR in the Phulbani town police station. The director general of police,Mr.B.B.Mishra is learnt to have placed the officer under suspension while regretting the incident.
Earlier,in a similar incident in Bhubaneswar,the correspondent and cameramen of OTV,a local channel,were assaulted by the officer in-charge of Lingraj police station.
