Cuttack: May 16: Commissionerate Police arrested nine accused including the groom’s father and some others from bride’s side for attacking a correspondent of a Television Channel while he was covering a child marriage.
Members of District Child Welfare Committee and Journalists rushed to village Khalarda under Cuttack Sadar Police Station of Odisha to stop a Child Marriage after getting information from some sources. The CWC and Journalists found that a 15-year old girl was being forced to marry by the family. While, the CWC members were trying to convince the families not to go for the marriage till the girl attain the age of 18, some of the family members got angry and attacked the CWC members and Journalists.
Pravat Bisoi, correspondent of a TV Channel got severely injured in the attack and he is under treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital. Cameraman Smruti Samant, who was with Pravat Bisoi, had filed a FIR at Sadar Police Station and also a FIR had been lodged by CWC.
The incident has invited sharp criticism from all sections and Leaders of Political Parties condemned the incident and demanded exemplary punishment for the culprits.
Commissionerate Police already arrested nine persons involved in the attack and has been looking for others. Seven vehicles have been seized by the Police. A case has been registered against them under sections 147,148,307,323,294,379,149,34 of IPC and section 11 of Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, DCP Sanjeev Arora said.
