Berhampur, June 27: Police have arrested three more individuals, including the prime accused Rajesh Samal (20) of Jahada village, in connection with the brutal assault of two Dalit men in Odisha’s Ganjam district. With these latest arrests, the total number of people taken into custody has risen to 12. Authorities say efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend others involved in the incident.
According to Chandrika Swain, Inspector-in-Charge of Dharakote police station, the case relates to a disturbing act of mob violence on June 22. The victims, Babula Nayak and Bulu Nayak, were reportedly transporting a cow and two calves in a cargo auto-rickshaw from Haripur to their village as part of a dowry arrangement for a family wedding. While passing through Kharigumma village, they were stopped by a group who accused them of smuggling cattle.
When the two men said they could not pay the Rs 30,000 the mob demanded, they were tied up, beaten, and taken to a nearby salon where their heads were partially shaved. The mob then forced them to crawl roughly two kilometers to Jahada village. There, the victims were allegedly made to eat grass and drink drain water in a public space (chhak), in an apparent attempt to humiliate them further.
A video of the incident, showing the men crawling with grass clenched between their teeth, quickly went viral and sparked widespread outrage across political and civil society circles.
In response, a fact-finding team from the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC), led by Rama Chandra Kadam, visited the victims in Singipur village. The team met with the survivors, spoke to locals, and consulted with police officials regarding the investigation. The OPCC condemned the inhumane treatment and called for swift justice and stronger protections for marginalized communities.
