Senior police officers in Balasore district have ordered a probe into the shameful incident of a local journalist allegedly being chained to his hospital bed with an iron cuff on one of his legs. Although the action followed massive outrage over the incident, it has to an extent helped assuage the anger of the state’s media fraternity over what has been described as “excesses” committed by the men in khaki.
The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has also taken suo motu cognizance of the incident and sought a report from the police. Taking note of media reports on the issue, the OHRC stated that it cannot “lose sight” of the gross violation of human rights in this case. Two police officials, apparently found prima facie guilty in the case, have been transferred.
Political parties and some social organizations have also stepped up their protest over the issue and demanded the arrest of the guilty police officials. The incident is being seen as an attack on the freedom of the media. The journalist was apparently targeted by the police as he had been exposing the nexus between the local police and criminals.
Although such cases of police excesses against journalists are few and far between in Odisha, which has a much better record than other states in maintaining the freedom of the media, the incident still raises concern and deserves to be condemned. There was absolutely no justification in putting iron cuffs on his leg and tying him to the hospital bed. This could only have been done with the intention of humiliating him.
Some states of India have a bad track record as far as the treatment of mediapersons by the police is concerned. In the past few years, there have been several incidents of journalists being beaten up, threatened and even murdered for highlighting the nexus between police and criminals, and also between criminals and politicians.
For people in power, it is easy to take the law into their hands to teach unfriendly mediapersons a lesson. They scarcely realize that by resorting to violence against news reporters, they are not only setting a bad example but also harming society at large. The basic job of a newsperson is to bring to light incidents of crime and corruption. It is their duty to expose the nexus between criminals, police and politicians. Since the media is often described as the watchdog of society, journalists should be allowed to do their duty in a peaceful manner. The police, instead of turning vengeful, should extend a helping hand to them. It is only when police and the powers that be realize this, mediapersons will be able to discharge their duty effectively and without fear.
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