11 Held In Bhubaneswar Mob Lynching Case, CM Seeks Detailed Probe

Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday ordered a Crime Branch investigation into the mob lynching of a Government Railway Police constable who was beaten to death over allegations of attempting to rape a woman on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.

The incident, which occurred in the Balianta police station area on May 7, has sparked outrage after the deceased constable’s family alleged that police personnel also assaulted him instead of rescuing him from the mob.

According to police, constable Soumya Ranjan Swain and his associate Om Prakash Rout were travelling on a motorcycle when they allegedly hit a scooter carrying two women near Ramachandrapur. Police claimed that after the collision, Swain assaulted the women and attempted to rape one of them, leaving her unconscious on the road.

Local residents gathered at the spot and allegedly attacked the duo. While Rout escaped with injuries, 32-year-old Swain succumbed to severe injuries sustained in the assault.

Chairing a high-level meeting after returning from Kolkata, Chief Minister Majhi directed the Crime Branch of Odisha Police to conduct a thorough probe into the incident and take strict action against all those involved. He also instructed the Director General of Police to ensure such incidents do not recur and stressed the need to uphold the rule of law.

The meeting was attended by senior officials, including Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Hemant Sharma, DGP Y B Khurania and the CM’s advisor Prakash Mishra.

Meanwhile, police have arrested 11 people in connection with the lynching. Six more accused were apprehended on Saturday, taking the total number of arrests from five to eleven.

The case took another turn after Swain’s father, Dhusasan Swain, alleged that police personnel present at the scene also assaulted his son. He claimed a purported video showed a constable beating Swain and alleged that police tied his hands and legs to a pole while taking him to hospital.

“Had the police intervened properly, my son would have been alive today,” he told reporters, while rejecting allegations that his son attempted rape.

Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan assured the family that the government would take action against everyone responsible for the lynching.

Survivor Om Prakash Rout, however, told journalists that Swain had physically attacked one of the women, though he denied witnessing any attempt to rape her. He also alleged that police personnel present at the scene failed to stop the mob assault.

The incident has triggered widespread debate over mob justice, police conduct and public safety, with the Crime Branch now expected to investigate both the alleged assault on the women and the circumstances leading to the constable’s death.