Bhubaneswar: The CID Crime Branch on Tuesday arrested the main accused in the Balianta mob lynching case, in which a 32-year-old GRP constable was killed following an alleged mob assault in Khurda district on May 7, 2026 (Thursday). With the latest arrest, the total number of people taken into custody in connection with the case has risen to 16.
The accused has been identified as Binod Kumar Behera (48), a resident of Satya Nagar in Bhubaneswar. He was apprehended from the Indupur area in Kendrapara district after sustained investigation and collection of evidence.
According to an official press release, the CID Crime Branch has registered the case as CID CB PS Case No. 06/2026 dated 09.05.2026, arising out of Balianta PS Case No. 221 of 2026 under Sections 103(1)/3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. The investigation has been entrusted to the Crime Branch by the Government of Odisha.
Police said the incident occurred within the jurisdiction of Balianta Police Station in the Bhingarpur-Kaja area, where GRP constable Soumya Ranjan Swain (32) and his associate Om Prakash Rout were allegedly assaulted by a group of people following accusations made by two women.
Investigators said preliminary findings suggest that Swain and Rout were accused of misbehaving with two women travelling on a scooter. The women alleged that the duo made objectionable remarks and later rammed their vehicle, causing them to fall. One of the women further alleged that she was physically assaulted, strangled, hit on the head, and that her clothes were torn, with an attempt made to drag her.
Following the incident, locals reportedly gathered at the spot and attacked the duo. Visuals that later surfaced showed Swain tied to an iron structure and being assaulted by a group of people.
Swain was initially taken to Balakati Community Health Centre and later shifted to Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar, where he was declared dead. His associate was rescued by police and is currently in custody.
The investigation has revealed the involvement of multiple persons in the assault that led to Swain’s death. Efforts are underway to identify and arrest other accused persons, and the probe is continuing on a priority basis.
Based on the complaint filed by the two women, police have also registered a case of attempted rape under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. A separate murder case has been registered in connection with the mob lynching incident.
