The Media Unity for Freedom of Press ( MUFP) staged a protest under the Freedom Tree in city on Saturday against the criminal behaviour of Angul DFO SS Mishra, who not only manhandled ETV reporter Jagadanand Pradhan and ETV cameraperson Manoranjan Sahu .
They also detained them illegally in his lock-up room while they visited his office to get his views on the forest clearance to Jindal Steel and Power's project on March 22, 2011. They were also threatened with dire consequences by the DFO.
Pradhan who was present in the MUFP protest meeting narrated the incident and expressed hope that the Sate Government will take appropriate penal action against the guilty officer. He also informed he MUFP members that there were efforts at filing a counter FIR with false allegations against him and that the police were willing to register it on a back date to hoodwink the judicial process.