Bhubaneswar, May 28 (IANS) The Crime Branch of Odisha Police on Thursday arrested one more accused in connection with the brutal mob lynching of Government Railway Police (GRP) constable Soumya Ranjan Swain on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar on May 7.

“On the morning of May 28, based on substantial evidence collected during the course of investigation, the prime accused, Ashok Jena alias Geda (45), of Gangeswargada under Cuttack Sadar police station limits (UPD-Cuttack), was apprehended from Hotel Regal Stay in Patia, Bhubaneswar,” the Crime Branch said.

The premier investigating agency further said that Jena’s involvement in the lynching was established during the investigation.

So far, a total of 17 accused persons have been arrested in connection with the case.

Notably, of the total arrests made in the case, 11 accused were earlier arrested by Balianta Police.

On May 7, the railway constable, Soumya Ranjan Swain, was allegedly beaten to death by a mob of villagers over accusations of sexually assaulting 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 Balianta police limits.

An alleged collision between their motorcycle and the girls’ scooter reportedly led to an argument.

One of the girls accused Soumya of attempting to sexually assault her, following which local villagers, alerted by her screams, rushed to the spot and assaulted the duo.

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

Earlier, Crime Branch officials had revealed that the agency identified several accused persons from viral videos of the incident, which triggered widespread outrage across the state and the country.

According to reports, around eight to 10 accused persons allegedly involved in the case are still absconding and efforts are underway to arrest them.

–IANS

gyan/pgh