Bhubaneswar, May 8: The number of arrests in the Balianta lynching case has risen to five, with police continuing their investigation and a manhunt underway for additional suspects based on viral video footage of the incident.

According to reports, the incident occurred on Thursday afternoon in the Bhingarapur area under Balianta police station limits. Two youths riding a motorcycle allegedly collided with a scooter carrying two women, sparking a heated argument. The women accused the youths of attempting to sexually assault them.

Local residents rushed to the spot upon hearing the commotion. They reportedly overpowered the youths, tied them with bamboo sticks, and brutally assaulted them. One of the victims, Soumya Ranjan Swain (32), a constable with the Government Railway Police (GRP) from Adaspur, Cuttack, succumbed to his injuries at Capital Hospital. The second youth, Om Prakash Rout, remains critically injured and is receiving treatment. Police have recorded his statement.

Initially, four persons were arrested in connection with the lynching and brought to Balianta Police Station. The number of arrests has now increased to five, with further detentions expected as investigators examine the viral video footage to identify other perpetrators.