Bhubaneswar, May 20: The Crime Branch has arrested two more accused in the murder case of GRP constable Soumyaranjan Swain from the Ranpur forest in Nayagarh district. The arrested accused have been identified as Panchanan Barajena alias Kalia and Ranjit Rana of Balianta area. Both had been absconding since May 7.

According to the Crime Branch, Soumyaranjan and his friend Om Prakash were travelling towards Satyabihar in Bhubaneswar on May 7 when their bike collided with a scooter carrying two young women near Ramachandrapur Kaj under Balianta police limits. Following the accident, an argument broke out between the two sides, triggering tension at the spot. During the violence, locals allegedly assaulted Soumyaranjan to death.

Investigators said Kalia and Ranjit attacked the GRP constable with wooden planks before fleeing the area. The duo later took shelter at a relative’s house in Ranpur and reportedly hid inside a room during the day while staying in the forest at night to evade arrest. The Crime Branch team tracked them down and produced them before a court after their arrest.

With the latest arrests, the total number of persons arrested in the case has gone up to 15. Earlier, Balianta police had arrested 11 accused in connection with the incident.

Crime Branch DG Binaytosh Mishra said the investigation is being carried out on a priority basis and efforts are underway to identify and arrest all others involved in the incident. He asserted that strict action would be taken against every accused and nobody connected to the crime would be spared.

Notably, Soumyaranjan Swain died after being allegedly tied up and brutally beaten by a mob following the road accident in Balianta on May 7. The Crime Branch has already arrested prime accused Chinu alias Ranjit Patra, while the remaining accused have been identified and are expected to be arrested soon.