UMERKOTE: A PhD scholar was stripped naked and thrashed brutally on suspicion of theft at Khaparadihi village in Nabarangpur’s Chandahandi block on Monday. The victim, Brundaban Santa of Durkiguda village under Ratakhandiguda panchayat in Jharigaon block, sustained injuries in the assault and is undergoing treatment in the hospital.
Brundaban had come to Khaparadihi to meet his friend. After his motorcycle ran out of fuel, he was taking rest near Motigaon village. Suspecting him to be a thief, some villagers of Motigaon stripped him and tied his hands. They then brutally thrashed him and recorded the incident on their mobile phones. After videos of the mob justice went viral on social media, Chandahandi police rushed to the village and rescued Brundaban. He was admitted to the local community health centre and later shifted to the district headquarters hospital, Nabarangpur.
Brundaban’s father Ved Santa said his son was pursuing Phd from Pondichery University. He was neither a thief nor mentally disturbed. Sources said in the last few days, several incidents of theft were reported in bordering villages of Kalahandi district due to which panic had gripped residents of Chandahandi. Local youths even took turns guarding their villages at night.
Following the incident, Chandahandi police registered a case against 10 persons. Two of the accused, Kapil Rana and Divya Ranjan Tripathi, were later arrested. Chandahandi IIC Premananda Sunani said both the accused will be produced in court on Tuesday. Efforts are on to nab the other accused who are on the run.