Rayagada: Five more people were arrested on Saturday in connection with the alleged mob attack on a young woman and her colleague in Kalyansinghpur area of Odisha’s Rayagada district.
With these fresh arrests, the total number of accused taken into custody in the case has risen to 21, police said.
Earlier, police had arrested 16 people in connection with the alleged vigilante violence fuelled by misinformation in which a young woman from Delhi and her male colleague from Gujarat were brutally assaulted by a mob in Rayagada district on the night of June 16.
According to police, the arrests were made based on CCTV footage, digital evidence, and videos collected from the scene. Earlier, 16 persons were arrested on Thursday in the same case.
Targeting the state government over the incident, BJD president Naveen Parnaik strongly condemned the assault, describing it as a barbaric and shameful act that has shaken the conscience of the entire state.
In a post on X, the former Chief Minister expressed deep condolences to the victim and said the gruesome assault, allegedly carried out collectively in broad daylight, has raised serious questions about humanity and the dignity of women in Odisha.
“This heinous, barbaric incident that occurred in Rayagada, Kalyansinghpur, with a Delhi student has shaken, shamed, and worried the entire Odisha,” he said.
The incident has triggered widespread outrage across the state and demanded immediate and urgent action from the government, said Naveen.
The BJD chief also questioned the state government’s response, asking why Odisha’s image is being tarnished and whether the government and police administration have become helpless in ensuring the safety of citizens. “Isn’t ensuring everyone’s safety the responsibility of this government?” he asked, criticizing the government’s “numbness and inexplicable silence,” which he said encourages such crimes.
The former CM claimed that Odisha is facing global condemnation due to rising atrocities against women and rampant lawlessness.
He urged the government to immediately implement the strictest possible measures to ensure the safety of women and restore law and order in the state.
