Journalist, cop attacked in Odisha’s Kendrapara; 2 doctors, 6 others held

Kendrapara: Attacking a journalist and police official proved costly for two doctors of a nursing home as they along with six others were arrested in Kendrapara town yesterday.

The arrested doctors duo has been identified as Dr Debasish Sahoo and Dr Sibasish Sahoo, sons of Dr Parsuram Sahoo, who is the owner of the private clinic. Soon after arrest, all the accused persons have been forwarded to a local court.

According to reports, one journalist working with a web portal had visited the nursing home at around 9.00 pm on Friday to cover a story. While he was capturing video of the nursing home on his mobile phone, the doctors duo objected him. When he continued his job, they asked their nursing home staff and started assaulting him physically. Even, they snatched the journalist’s phone and motorcycle.

An administrative official, who was crossing the way during the period, found crowd in front of the nursing home. He immediately informed the local police about violation of COVID-19 guidelines.

On receiving information, Kendrapara Town Police IIC sent ASI Soumya Ranjan Jali to the spot. During investigation into the incident, the police official asked the nursing home authority to return the mobile phone and motorcycle to the journalist. However, the doctors, who had attacked the media employee denied to give those items back to him.

When the police ASI wanted to verify the CCTV footage to find exact incident occurred in the evening, the doctor brothers allegedly heckled him and misbehaved with him, informed the IIC.

Based on complaint lodged by the journalist, police registered a case and arrested the accused doctors. Besides, six employees of the nursing home were also apprehended in connection with the incident.

Source said that Dr Sibashish has been appointed at the SCB Medical College & Hospital in Cuttack and Dr Debasish is currently working at Kendrapara District Headquarters Hospital.