Insight Bureau:  In a shameful incident, Nilagiri Police handcuffed legs of a journalist to a bed while he was undergoing treatment at the Balasore District Headquarters Hospital.

The journalist has been identified as Lokanath Dalei, reporter of Odia newspaper daily ‘Sambad’ and its television channel ‘Kanak News’.

According to reports, an argument took place between the journalist and Niranjan Rana, a home guard of the police station, on April 4 at Nilagiri as the vehicles of the two collided following which Niranjan Rana had lodged a complaint alleging that Dalei abused him in filthy languages while he was on duty.

Based on the report, Dalei was detained and subjected to torture by Police.

He was rushed to the Nilagiri Hospital and later shifted to the Balasore District Headquarters Hospital after his health condition deteriorated yesterday. His legs were tied to the bed while he was undergoing treatment.

The Union of Journalists condemned the repeated attacks on journalists in Odisha and drew attention to the recent attack by the Nilagiri Police.