MAHALPUR; The National Cadet Corps (NCC) authorities in Punjab on Friday initiated action against an official after he allegedly molested a girl cadet. A local journalist who went to cover the incident was beaten up by officials at the NCC camp, the police said.

The girl was allegedly molested late Wednesday at a camp being held at the Khalsa College campus in Mahilpur, 20 km from this Punjab town.

The NCC official was allegedly drunk at the time of the incident.

The Punjab police have registered a case against the NCC official, Subedar Gurdeep Singh, for molesting the girl.

The police have also registered a case against him and other NCC officials for a murderous assault on the local journalist, Yogesh. They have been booked on the charge of attempt to murder.

"We have registered the case against NCC officials following both incidents," S.S. Gill, Hoshiarpur's district police chief, said here.

The NCC official was taken off duty Thursday after an NCC cadet complained that the official molested her.

"We will initiate court martial proceedings against him," NCC camp head, Col. S.S. Goraya, said.

The incident came to light only after the journalist, Yogesh, who came to know about it, went to cover it. At the NCC camp, he was beaten up and his camera broken by officials who wanted to cover up the incident, the police said.

He was taken to a hospital in Jalandhar city, 55 km away. Doctors at the Satyam Hospital, where he was admitted, said his condition was serious and he has been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Nearly 450 NCC cadets from colleges of the region are participating in the camp at Mahilpur.