BHUBANESWAR: A mob lynched a 32-year-old Government Railway Police (GRP) constable to death in full public view over allegations of sexually assaulting two young women on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar on Thursday, in a shocking meltdown of law and order in the state capital.
Hung from an iron bar like an animal, with both his hands and legs tied, constable Soumya Ranjan Swain was carried and dragged around by the attackers, who rained blows, kicks and punches on him. Police reached the spot but remained mute spectators as the violence continued.
The barbaric incident, which took place near Ramachandrapur under Balianta police limits, sent shockwaves across the city. Videos circulated widely on social media showed scenes of extreme violence linked to the incident.
So far, four persons have been detained in connection with the murder while police raids are underway to arrest all the accused.
Swain belonged to Moujpur village under Olatpur police limits in Cuttack and was serving as a GRP constable in Cuttack district. His friend, Om Prakash Rout, was rescued by police. He is in a stable condition and remains under detention.
Swain and Rout had a face-off with the two girls over some trivial matter and then they allegedly chased them on their motorcycle and later rammed their scooter before being caught by locals. Rout managed to escape, but Swain, also a fitness trainer and bodybuilder, was brutally assaulted in the presence of police personnel. He was later shifted to Balakati Community Health Centre and subsequently moved to Capital Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Quoting the complaint filed by the two women, police said Swain and Rout reportedly chased and hit their scooter, causing them to fall on the road. The women later alleged that the accused misbehaved with them and attempted sexual assault. According to the FIR, Swain behaved aggressively and did not allow people to rescue the women. The condition of the two girls is currently stable.
Based on the complaint, Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena said a case of attempt to rape under Sections 62 and 64 of the BNS had been registered against the deceased. A separate case of murder by unidentified persons under Section 103 was also registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by Swain’s family members.
The DCP informed that multiple teams had been formed to identify and apprehend all those involved in the assault and killing of Swain using video footage and other evidence collected from the scene.
Family members of the deceased, meanwhile, alleged that Swain was beaten to death in the presence of police personnel. Meena, however, claimed that PCR and local police personnel rescued the two youths from the mob and shifted them to hospital.
In fact, the emergency call was received at the ERSS control room at 11.02 am and the PCR team reached the spot at 11.10 am. Videos showed policemen at the site while Swain was being relentlessly assaulted.
Police sources said Swain’s service record was unsatisfactory and his salary had been stopped. He had also reportedly stopped attending the gym where he worked. The deceased had apparently trained a senior IPS officer in the past.