Bhubaneswar: The number of arrests in the sensational murder case of Government Railway Police (GRP) Constable Saumya Ranjan Swain due to mob lynching in Balianta has risen to seven and detained five more persons for questioning.
According to reports, the brutal incident has triggered widespread fear in the surrounding villages, with most men fleeing their homes to evade arrest. Several nearby villages under Balianta police station have virtually turned male-deserted as residents fear police action.
Notably, the incident occurred when a large group of persons from Benupur village and surrounding areas allegedly beat Saumya Ranjan Swain to death after he was accused of misbehaving with two young women on the road. The victims’ relatives and villagers had rushed to the spot after being informed.
Police, meanwhile, have launched a massive manhunt based on CCTV footage and are conducting raids at multiple locations to nab the remaining accused.
On the other hand, the family of the deceased constable has strongly rejected the allegation of misbehaviour, terming it false and fabricated. They have demanded a polygraph (lie detector) test of the two girls involved. The deceased’s family is also struggling to come to terms with the shocking incident.
Yesterday, DGP Y.B. Khurania and the Chairperson of the State Women’s Commission visited the crime spot and took stock of the situation .Tension erupted in Swain’s village after his body was brought there. Locals blocked the road, staged a protest and held the police responsible for the incident. They also raised slogans demanding justice.
