Bhubaneswar, One more person was apprehended in connection with the lynching of a GRP constable in Odisha, taking the total number of arrests in the May 7 incident to 18, police said on Tuesday.
Government Railway Police personnel Soumya Ranjan Swain was allegedly tied to a pole and beaten to death by a mob in Bhingarpur-Kaja area under the jurisdiction of Balianta police station on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar on May 7.
The incident took place after a woman alleged that Swain attempted to rape her, following a collision between his motorcycle and her two-wheeler, police said.
“On the night of June 1, based on substantial evidence collected during the course of investigation, the accused, Pradeep Managara alias Dipu of Benupur in Balianta area, has been apprehended from Dhenkanal,” the Crime Branch of the state police said in a statement.
The CID Crime Branch, Odisha has been entrusted with the investigation into the incident.
The probe has revealed the involvement of the accused persons in assaulting the deceased, an official said, adding that so far, a total of 18 accused persons identified in the case through video footages, have been arrested.
Noting that the investigation into the matter is underway, the official said efforts were underway to identify and apprehend other persons involved in the incident.
Around eight more people were still at large, the official said.
Meanwhile, a two-member team of the National Human Rights Commission has started an investigation into the incident. The team is scheduled to visit the crime scene on Tuesday and also the deceased’s native village.
A day before, the NHRC team questioned the former inspector-in-charge of Balianta police station, Anil Kumar Parida, over the incident.
The team also questioned the senior railway police officer of the GRP. The service record book of the deceased was also examined as part of the investigation, sources said.
“We are facilitating the NHRC team in its investigation,” Crime Branch Superintendent of Police Anirudha Routray said.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
