Bhubaneswar: The journalists across the state took out rallies and staged protests demanding the arrest of Nilagiri police station IIC Draupadi Das in connection with legcuffing a journalist to hospital bed in Balasore district.
Joining the call given by Utkal Sambadika Sangha, to wear black badges, the scribes in Puri, Jajpur, Bhubaneswar, Jeypore , Bhadrak, Phulbani, Kendrapada, Rayagada, Malkangiri and other areas wore the badges and took out protest rallies.
Stating that scribes are not safe in the state, the journalists of different districts demanded passing of a law for their security.
At Jeypore, journalists gathered at the local police station and submitted a memorandum of their demands, at Bhadrak, they met the SP and submitted a memorandum demanding arrest of the IIC.
The scribes led by Gunupur Press Union president Pramod Kumar Sahoo also submitted a memorandum with their demands Sub-Collector J Sonal and SDPO Ajay Barik. The memorandum was addressed to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
In their memorandum, they have demanded security for journalists, punishment to Nilagiri IIC Draupai Das, among others.
Earlier in the day, havildar in-charge of the police custody party was suspended for the incident, following orders from Odisha DGP Sunil Bansal.
