Odisha Crime Branch arrests 2 more in GRP constable lynching case
Synopsis
Two key accused in the mob lynching of GRP constable Soumya Ranjan Swain — including one identified as the 'main accused' — were tracked down to a jungle in Nayagarh district and arrested on 19 May, taking the total tally to 15. The case, which sits at the crossroads of mob justice and a sexual assault allegation against a serving officer, is being handled by the Odisha Crime Branch.
Key Takeaways
The Odisha Crime Branch arrested Panchanan Badjena alias Kalia and Ranjit Rana on 19 May 2025 from Ranpur jungle, Nayagarh district .
Total arrests in the case now stand at 15 , including 11 earlier arrested by Balianta Police.
GRP constable Soumya Ranjan Swain was beaten to death by a mob in the Balianta area of Bhubaneswar on 7 May 2025 over allegations of sexual assault.
The Crime Branch is investigating two separate cases — one on the lynching, one on the sexual assault complaint filed by the girl.
Four police personnel were suspended and the Inspector-in-Charge of Balianta Police Station was transferred over alleged failure to act during the assault.
The Crime Branch of Odisha Police on Tuesday, 19 May arrested two more accused in connection with the mob lynching of Government Railway Police (GRP) constable Soumya Ranjan Swain in the Balianta area of Bhubaneswar on 7 May. The arrests bring the total number of persons apprehended in the case to 15.
Key Developments
According to the Crime Branch, the two newly arrested accused — Panchanan Badjena alias Kalia and Ranjit Rana — were apprehended from the Ranpur jungle in Nayagarh district based on 'substantial evidence' gathered during the investigation. 'Investigation has revealed the involvement of the accused persons in assaulting the deceased,' the Crime Branch stated in an official press note.
Prior to these arrests, 11 accused had already been taken into custody by the Balianta Police. The Crime Branch has since assumed full control of two separate cases registered at the Balianta Police Station — one pertaining to the mob lynching and another based on a complaint filed by one of the girls who alleged that Swain had attempted to sexually assault her.
What Happened on 7 May
On 7 May, constable Soumya Ranjan Swain and his friend Om Prakash were travelling towards Bhubaneswar when their motorcycle was involved in a collision with a scooter carrying two girls in the Bhingarpur-Kaja area under Balianta police limits. The collision escalated into an argument, during which one of the girls alleged that Swain had attempted to sexually assault her.
Her screams drew local villagers to the spot, who then assaulted both Swain and Om Prakash. Police subsequently rescued the duo and took them to hospital, where Swain was declared dead. The incident drew widespread attention to both the act of mob violence and the underlying allegation that triggered it.
Police Action and Accountability
In the aftermath, four police personnel were placed under suspension, and the then Inspector-in-Charge of Balianta Police Station was transferred for allegedly failing to intervene during the mob assault. The Crime Branch's takeover of the investigation signals the seriousness with which the Odisha government is treating the case.
This is one of the more high-profile mob lynching cases in Odisha in recent years, involving a serving police officer and intersecting allegations of sexual assault — raising complex questions about due process, mob justice, and police accountability. The investigation into both registered cases is ongoing, and further arrests are possible as the Crime Branch continues to examine evidence.
Point of View
But the case raises questions that go beyond the arrest count. A serving police officer is dead, four colleagues have been suspended, and a station chief has been transferred — signalling systemic failure on the ground. Meanwhile, the parallel investigation into the sexual assault allegation means the legal outcome will be shaped as much by what the deceased allegedly did as by the mob's response to it. The intersection of mob violence and an unresolved assault complaint makes this one of the more legally and morally complex cases in Odisha's recent crime record.
NationPress
4 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Soumya Ranjan Swain and what happened to him?
Soumya Ranjan Swain was a Government Railway Police (GRP) constable who was beaten to death by a mob in the Balianta area of Bhubaneswar on 7 May 2025. The mob acted after a girl accused him of attempting to sexually assault her following a road collision.
Who were the two accused arrested on 19 May 2025?
The two accused arrested on 19 May are Panchanan Badjena alias Kalia, identified as the main accused, and Ranjit Rana. Both were apprehended from the Ranpur jungle in Nayagarh district by the Odisha Crime Branch.
How many people have been arrested in total in this case?
A total of 15 persons have been arrested so far — 11 by the Balianta Police earlier and 2 more by the Crime Branch on 19 May, in addition to earlier Crime Branch arrests. The investigation is ongoing.
What action was taken against police personnel after the incident?
Four police personnel were placed under suspension following the lynching, and the then Inspector-in-Charge of Balianta Police Station was transferred for allegedly failing to intervene during the mob assault on Swain.
Why is the Crime Branch handling the investigation instead of local police?
The Odisha Crime Branch, the state's premier investigating agency, took full control of the investigation given the gravity of the case. It is probing both the mob lynching and the sexual assault complaint filed by the girl — two separate cases registered at Balianta Police Station.
