Bhubaneswar, June 2 (IANS) The Crime Branch of Odisha Police has arrested another prime accused in connection with the brutal mob lynching of Government Railway Police (GRP) constable Soumya Ranjan Swain in the Balianta area on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar on May 7, allegedly over accusations of sexual harassment of a woman.

The accused was identified as Pradeep Mangaraj alias Dipu, 46, of Benupur village under Balianta Police limits in Bhubaneswar. He was arrested by the Crime Branch sleuths late Monday night.

“He had been hiding at different places to evade arrest. Following the receipt of reliable information, we arrested him (Dipu) from his hideout in Dhenaknal district. His active involvement in the Soumya murder case is established through video analysis. He was seen assaulting Soumya in the video,” said a senior crime branch official on Tuesday.

The official further informed the media persons that so far, a total of 18 accused persons are involved in the Soumya mob lynching case, which also includes 11 earlier held by the Balianta police.

It is pertinent here to mention that a team of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is in Odisha and has been investigating the allegations of human rights violation in the mob lynching case.

On May 7, the railway constable, Soumya, was beaten to death by a mob of villagers over allegations of sexual assault on a girl in the Balianta area on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar. Soumya, along with his friend Om Prakash Rout, was travelling towards Bhubaneswar when they came across two girls riding a scooter in the Bhingarpur-Kaja area under the Balianta police limits.

An alleged collision between their motorcycle and the girls’ scooter sparked an argument. One of the girls accused Soumya of attempting to sexually assault her, following which local villagers, alerted by her screams for help, rushed to the spot and assaulted the duo.

Police later rescued them and shifted them to the hospital, where doctors declared Soumya dead.

–IANS

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