Bhubaneswar: Two persons have been arrested for allegedly abusing and threatening a woman Radio Jockey near Badagada Canal Road Square in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday evening.
Those arrested have been identified as Biswojit Dash and Gundicha Jena. Both were detained for questioning on Thursday afternoon and subsequently arrested after the incident drew public attention amid allegations that Badagada police kept sitting on the complaint for nearly 12 hours.
According to Subhashree Patra, a RJ with a private radio channel, she fell down after two bike-borne miscreants, suspected to be under the influence of alcohol, dashed against her scooter at around 6 pm in Badagada area of the city while she was returning home. Following which, the duo allegedly started hurling abuses at her and even threatened to assault her but were stopped by passers-by.
While Subhashree claimed that she lodged a complaint with police immediately after the incident, the FIR copy, however, mentioned that police received information at 10.30 the following day. It is being alleged that the police swung into action only after the victim took the help of women journalists to put her grievance across the senior officers. A case has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, including Sections 281, 296(b), 74 and 3(5), which pertain to rash driving, public nuisance, criminal intimidation and unlawful acts.
“We arrested the accused on Thursday itself so the claims of delay are unfounded. We took immediate action and arrested the duo. They are being produced before court today,” said Badagada police station IIC Trupti Ranjan Nayak.
Assistant Sub-Inspector Shantilata Ghadei has been assigned to lead the probe.
Police sources said CCTV footage from the area are being examined to corroborate the victim’s account and strengthen the case against the accused.
