The Crime Branch of Odisha Police has apprehended Binod Kumar Behera (48), a suspect in the mob lynching of Government Railway Police (GRP) constable Soumya Ranjan Swain near Bhubaneswar on May 7. Behera, a resident of Satya Nagar in Bhubaneswar, was captured on May 25 from Indupur in Kendrapara district based on substantial evidence gathered during the investigation. Authorities have arrested a total of 16 individuals linked to the assault on the deceased constable.
Efforts are ongoing to identify and capture other individuals involved in the tragic incident, as per the Crime Branch. The agency’s IG Sarthak Sarangi mentioned that the accused were recognized from a viral video of the occurrence, with around 8 to 10 suspects still at large. The incident occurred when Soumya and his friend Om Prakash were attacked by villagers over allegations of sexual assault on a girl in the Balianta area.
The confrontation arose after a supposed collision between the victims’ motorcycle and the girls’ scooter, leading to a verbal dispute. Following the girl’s accusation of a sexual assault attempt by Soumya, villagers intervened and assaulted the duo. Despite police intervention and their subsequent hospitalization, Soumya succumbed to his injuries.
