Journalist Debendra Barik (36) was killed in a road accident on Monday night. According to sources, a vehicle ferrying ordnance factory items from Thrissur to Kolkata hit Barik’s bike resulting in his death on the spot. The incident occurred when Barik was returning home after meeting police officials at the Khantapara police station in connection with settlement of a dispute in his village.
A condolence meeting was held for Barik in the District Press Room on Tuesday with senior journalist Biplab Mohanty presiding over it. The district administration provided Rs 10,000 as ex-gratia to his family. Project Director Anjan Manik assured the journalists that he would try to arrange a job for Barik’s wife.Barik besides reporting for several Odia papers was also publishing a local vernacular paper Aji ra Barta.