Odisha: Man beaten to death, another injured by mob for sexually assaulting two women

Bhubaneswar: A man was beaten to death and another critically injured by a mob for allegedly sexually assaulting two women on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar on Thursday, police said.

The incident took place near a bridge at Ramchandrapur under the Balianta police station area on the Hanspal-Nimapara road during noon.

The deceased was identified as Soumya Ranjan Swain, a suspended constable of the government railway police (GRP), Cuttack. The critically injured man was identified as Om Prakash Mohanty, the police said.

According to local people, the two people allegedly intercepted a scooter in which two women were travelling. The women fell down on the road after they were pushed by the two men on a motorbike.

As soon as they fell, the duo physically attacked them, and one attempted to sexually assault a woman, Biranchi Narayan Jena, a passerby who witnessed the incident, told reporters.

As the women raised an alarm, a large number of people assembled and attacked the two men, leaving them critically injured till the police reached the place. Both the men and women were rescued and taken to the hospital, the police said.

"My son Soumya Ranjan Swain died at the Capital Hospital," Kabita Swain, the mother of the deceased GPR constable, said.

Another critically injured man, Om Prakash Mohanty, is undergoing treatment, the police said.

Speaking to media persons, Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena said there are three parties in the case. One party is the deceased and his friend, the second party is the two women, and the third party is the mob.

"The two men, who were on a bike, first overtook the two women on a scooter, then returned and assaulted the ladies. The locals and nearby people rescued the two women and assaulted the two men. One of them died," the DCP said.

The mob attacked Swain because he was out of his mind and behaving abnormally, Meena said, adding that, "Even he tried to bite the police personnel when they were catching him."

With the help of locals, the police sent the injured persons to a local hospital and then referred them to Capital Hospital, where Swain was declared brought dead, the DCP said.

One of the women lodged an FIR alleging that the deceased person attempted to rape her, he said.

"We have recorded the statements of the women and the man, who was assaulted by the mob," Meena said, adding that further investigation is in progress.

The DCP said that another case has been registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by the deceased's family. "A murder case has been filed against unknown persons," he stated.

The police will identify the persons involved in the assault of the two men and take necessary legal action against them, the police officer added.

Meanwhile, the police have detained four persons allegedly involved in the murder of Swain.

One platoon (30 personnel) of the armed force was rushed to the incident site as there was tension in the area.