The MUFP held a protest meeting under the Freedom Tree near Soochna Bahawan in Bhubaneswar on Monday , 7 February 2011 to condemn the brutal and murderous attack on Sambad’s Pipil reporter, Sri Rajat Ranjan Dash by the BJD chairman of Pipili Notified Area Council (NAC ) and his criminal gang on teh 4th of February and to demand the immediate arrest of the said ruling party politican and all those responsible for the dastardly assault on Sri Dash.
Sri Dash who had been discharged from the hospital on Monday morning was present at the venue of the protest meeting and shared shocking details of the assault on him. Sri Dash said he had become the target of the NAC Chairman Mr Sheikh after he published reports on the growing public demand for a probe into the alleged large scale corruption in the local urban body.
Sri Dash said he was beaten black and blue after the NAC chairman pointed a gun at his head and threatened to eliminate him if he ever dared write anything against him.
He also revealed that the attackers also looted cash worth Rs 12,500, a gold chain and three mobile sets from him. The NAC chairman then ordered his men to strip him and he was paraded naked for a while until local people came to his rescue and took him to the hospital.
The MUFP has demanded definite answers from the Chief Minister, Home Secretary and the Collector and SP of Puri as to why the police has so far not acted on the basis of the FIR lodged in this regard when by all accounts the accused have committed a very serious criminal offence and should have been behind bars by now.
The MUFP has decided to submit a petition to the Hon’ble Governor of Orissa and take follow-up action to ensure those responsible for the criminal assault of Sri Rajat Ranjan Dash are arrested and jailed.