Rayagada: In a tense late-night episode that could have turned fatal, a 35-year-old driver’s presence of mind helped rescue two fellowship workers, including a woman, from a violent mob that had wrongly suspected them of being child-lifters in Kalyansinghpur area of Rayagada district.
The driver, identified as Balaram Bag of Bhaleri village under Parsali panchayat in Kalyansinghpur block, intervened during the assault and ensured the safe evacuation of the victims to police protection before the situation escalated further.
Speaking about the incident, Bag said he was returning home after visiting the electricity office and having dinner at a roadside eatery when he heard loud commotion nearby. On approaching the spot, he found a woman being assaulted by a group of people.
“I saw a crowd surrounding her and beating her. Her clothes were torn. I immediately rushed in and tried to stop them. Another youth was also trying to help, but it was not enough. I covered her with a cloth and took her to a PCR van,” he said.
Bag added that even the police vehicle was initially surrounded by the mob, but the driver managed to speed away and take the victim to Kalyansinghpur police station. The woman was later shifted to the Community Health Centre (CHC) for treatment.
According to him, the two victims had been travelling from Daringbadi in Kandhamal district to Thuamul Rampur in Kalahandi when they lost their way while using Google Maps and accidentally entered Kalyansinghpur area.
They reportedly stopped at Kandulguda village under Silet panchayat to ask for directions and interacted with locals, including children celebrating the Raja festival. During this interaction, they allegedly had bags on their scooter, which led to suspicion among some locals, triggering rumours that they were child-lifters.
According to the police, the situation escalated rapidly after misinformation spread in the area. A crowd gathered and confronted the duo, despite their attempts to explain and present their identity documents.
The woman later alleged that the mob turned violent and attacked them as they tried to escape. The duo reportedly lost control of their scooter near Dhamunipanga panchayat and were again caught by a larger group before being assaulted.
Meanwhile, Bag’s timely intervention has been widely appreciated locally, with many crediting his courage and quick thinking for preventing what could have been a far more serious tragedy.
