In yet another incident of attack on media, a reporter of the Kamyab TV for Boden block, Bishikeshan Panda, was attacked by the Kamalamal Sevashram management committee chairman.
Panda was investigating an allegation that a middleman named Govinnda Mahanandia had taken thousands of rupees from a large number of people of Rayagada district for getting their children admitted in the residential school located at Kamlamal village under Nuapada district's Boden block. The children had lodged complaints in this regard.
"I heard that hundreds of children from Chandrapur block of Rayagada district have been admitted through a broker in different Sevashrams of Boden block. Thus I wanted to know the truth of this allegation. SMC chairman Rajesh Pattnaik attacked me when I was returning after discussing with the children on the issue" said Panda.
It has been learnt that Gobind Mahanandia, a resident of Rupra Road village of Kalahandi district, brings children from other districts and admits them in different residential schools of Boden block of Nuapada district. "He has taken Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 from each of parents towards the travel and school fee and has admitted about 100 children in this Sevashram," complained many children of Kamalamal Sevashram.
The Boden police have arrested SMC Chairman Rajesh Pattnaik of the basis of Panda's complaint.
"We have arrested Rajesh on prima facie evidence. He will be forward to the court soonm" said Boden PS IIC Jayashri Pradhan.
"We will enquire further in to the allegations about the role of broker in admitting the children," she added.