Kendrapara: Inspector General of Police (CR) N Bhoi Satueday ordered an inquiry by a DSP level officer into the alleged assault of a web media reporter by a lady constable July 21.
Several journalists of the district held a demonstration in front of the Collectorate here July 22 demanding action against the lady constable for assaulting the web media reporter.
The media persons had detained five MLAs of the district for a brief period on the same day and demanded a criminal case against the lady constable for assaulting a journalist and initiating action for not wearing masks while on duty.
The constable allegedly slapped and abused the reporter after he clicked a photograph of her not wearing a mask while on duty violating the Covid protocols.
The IG said he has directed the Kendrapara SP to get the incident inquired by a DSP level officer and submit the report within a day or two. Sources said DSP KC Mallick was asked to look into the incident.
Action would be taken against the lady constable after the receiving the inquiry report, the IG said. After the incident, both the reporter and the lady constable have filed FIR and counter FIR in Kendrapara sadar police station.
While Bhimasen Sethy, the reporter in his petition alleged that the lady constable Pinu Nayak slapped him and abused him in filthy language after he clicked her photograph for not wearing a mask while on duty and put it on his social media site.
He also alleged that the constable had snatched his gold chain worth Rs 76,000 and threatened to implicate him in a false case. The constable in her petition alleged that she slapped Sethi as he molested her and thrashed her.
Police have registered cases on the basis of the FIRs lodged by both the constable and the reporter and are looking into the incident.
Meanwhile, District Congress president Anshuman Mohanty and former minister Ganeswar Behera have condemned the action of the lady constable and urged the district Collector and the SP to take action against her.
PNN