NHRC, India takes suo motu cognizance of the reported merciless beating of a journalist while reporting the allegations of corruption at a construction site in Balangir district, Odisha

Press release

National Human Rights Commission

New Delhi: 30th May, 2025

NHRC, India takes suo motu cognizance of the reported merciless beating of a journalist while reporting the allegations of corruption at a construction site in Balangir district, Odisha

Issues notice to the Odisha DGP calling for a detailed report in the matter within two weeks

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that a TV journalist was physically assaulted by a group of people in Kulthipali village in the Balangir district, Odisha on 25th May, 2025. Reportedly, he was suddenly attacked by the miscreants when he went to a construction site in the village, regarding which the people are making allegations of corruption. The victim’s legs and hands were tied, and he was paraded through the village before being tied to a pole and mercilessly beaten.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of the human rights of the victim journalist. Therefore, it has issued a notice to the Director General of Police, Odisha, calling for a detailed report in the matter within two weeks.

According to the media report, carried on 26th May, 2025, the victim’s mobile phones and video camera were also smashed by the perpetrators, and he was threatened not to report anything about the incident or the ongoing construction work to anyone.

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