New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India, has taken suo motu cognizance of a disturbing media report detailing the physical assault of a TV journalist in Kulthipali village, Balangir district, Odisha, on May 25, 2025.
The incident, if true, highlights a grave violation of human rights, prompting the Commission to issue a notice to the Director General of Police, Odisha, seeking a detailed report within two weeks.
According to the media report, the journalist Bijay Pradhan was collecting information and taking photographs when a group of men allegedly confronted him. The accused also allegedly snatched his mobile phone, microphone and other equipment.
He was reportedly attacked by a group of individuals when he visited a construction site in the village. The site is currently under scrutiny due to allegations of corruption from local residents. Police in the meantime has arrested some of the culprits.
The assault was severe: the victim’s legs and hands were tied, and he was paraded through the village. Following this, he was tied to a pole and subjected to a merciless beating. The perpetrators also destroyed his mobile phones and video camera, and he was explicitly threatened against reporting the incident or any details concerning the ongoing construction work.
The NHRC has expressed serious concern over the contents of the news report, emphasizing that such an act, if substantiated, constitutes a significant breach of the victim journalist’s human rights. The Commission’s intervention underscores the importance of ensuring the safety and freedom of the press, particularly when journalists are investigating matters of public interest like alleged corruption.
Authorities in Odisha are now expected to provide a comprehensive account of the incident and the steps being taken to investigate the assault and bring the perpetrators to justice.