Bhubaneswar, May 10: The Odisha Crime Branch has initiated an investigation into the mob lynching of a GRP constable that occurred on May 7 in the outskirts of Bhubaneswar. Two separate cases have been registered in connection with this incident.
Following directives from Chief Minister Mohan Chandra Majhi, the investigation into the two cases filed by Balangir police has been taken over by the Crime Branch.
On Sunday, the Crime Branch announced that it would handle the sensitive cases related to sexual assault and the subsequent lynching of constable Soumya Ranjan Swain, as per orders from the DGP.
The investigation has been assigned to DSP Ratnaprabha Satpathy. One case pertains to the mob lynching of Soumya, while the other is linked to a complaint from one of the girls involved, alleging an attempted sexual assault by the deceased.
A senior officer from the Crime Branch informed reporters that they would also interrogate the police personnel from the PCR vans who were the first to arrive at the scene to ascertain their role and any negligence in duty.
On Thursday, villagers in the Balangir area of Bhubaneswar beat GRP constable Soumya Ranjan Swain to death after accusing him of attempting to sexually assault two girls. At the time of the incident, Soumya was en route to Bhubaneswar with his friend Om Prakash when they encountered the girls on a scooter near the Ramchandrapur bridge within Balangir police jurisdiction.
A collision occurred between their motorcycle and the girls’ scooter, leading to a heated argument. One of the girls accused Soumya of attempting sexual assault, prompting nearby villagers to rush to the scene and attack both individuals. They were later rescued by police and taken to a hospital, where doctors pronounced Soumya dead.
So far, police have arrested 11 individuals in connection with the brutal mob lynching of constable Soumya.
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