Police have arrested Bitana Panchayat Executive Officer (PEO) Shushanta Sahu for allegedly threatening journalist Ranapratap Mohapatra with death after a video surfaced showing the officer consuming alcohol during a government housing scheme investigation.
The video, which went viral on social media, prompted Mohapatra to report the incident. In retaliation, Sahu allegedly used abusive language and issued death threats over the phone. A formal complaint was lodged at Binjharpur Police Station on August 18, 2025.
Following the complaint, Mohapatra attempted to meet the District Collector but instead submitted his grievance to the Additional District Magistrate (Revenue). The matter escalated when it was brought to the attention of the State Home Department via Twitter, prompting directives to the District Superintendent of Police to treat the case with urgency.
Journalists in Binjharpur warned of a hunger strike if the accused was not apprehended. Eventually, police successfully arrested Sahu in a public location. A case has been registered under Binjharpur PS Case No. 379/25, and an investigation is underway.
In a show of solidarity and appreciation, local journalists, including Shubhakanta Das, Debaprasad Sahu, Samarendra Padhi, Parthasarathi Barik, Biswajit Nayak, Gulshan Nawaz Ali, Shankarshan Samal, Chandranarayan Das, Surendra Samal, and Debidatta Samal, extended their gratitude to Binjharpur Police for respecting the concerns of the press.
