The MUFP, in the strongest possible terms, condemns the criminal attack on a group of media persons by an unruly gang of students of Centurion Institute of Technology, Paralakhemundi on Tuesday, 15 March 2011 and demands immediate identification and arrest of all those found guilty.
The unfortunate incident took place when local media persons were covering the student unrest inside the campus. Following the brutal attack ETV Reporter Sri Rama Govinda Acharya, OTV Reporter Sri Bidhan Chaudhury and ANI Reporter Santosh Patnaik, Kanak Tv Reporter, Srikant Maharana, Naxatra TV reporter, Basudev Das, Kamyab TV reporter Rupesh Sahoo and others have been injured and their cameras have been snatched away.
Students targeting media persons is a rather unfortunate development and we are reminded of a similar incident at the Ravenshaw college campus recently. The Odisha media has been very supportive of genuine student demands and has raised a number campus and education related issues across the state.
MUFP, therefore, believes such criminal behaviour by a small group of students in Parlakhemundi will be condemned by the student community at large.
The MUFP demands immediate arrest of all involved in the criminal attack on the media persons .The administration should immediately act and ensure that all the damaged camera and equipments be replaced while ensuring that the authorities would take preventive steps so that the media persons can discharge their duties freely.