The Odisha State Commission for Women (OSCW) on Friday, 9 May 2025, deployed a special team to investigate the mob lynching of Government Railway Police (GRP) Constable Soumya Ranjan Swain in the Balianta area on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, following allegations of sexual assault on two girls the previous day. The commission's chairperson, Sovana Mohanty, pledged an impartial inquiry and stringent punishment for all those found guilty.

What Happened at Ramachandrapur Bridge

According to police, Constable Soumya Ranjan Swain and his friend Om Prakash Rout were travelling towards Bhubaneswar on a motorcycle when their vehicle collided with a scooter carrying two girls near Ramachandrapur bridge under Balianta police limits. The collision led to an altercation, during which Swain allegedly attempted to sexually assault one of the girls. Alerted by her screams, local villagers rushed to the spot and assaulted both men. Police subsequently rescued them and transported them to hospital, where Swain was declared dead.

Victim's Account

The girl who filed an First Information Report (FIR) against the deceased constable narrated the sequence of events before media persons on Friday. "My friend and I were going to her aunt's house at Gangeswar yesterday. Two youths on a motorcycle were coming towards Bhubaneswar from the opposite direction. They first passed by us shouting loudly after seeing us and later returned and hit our scooter from behind," she alleged. She further claimed that after the collision, one of the bike-borne youths struck her head against the road twice, pressed her throat, and tore her scarf and clothes. "He also told his friend to take me with him to their room. At that moment, my friend cried out for help. Hearing her screams, local people rushed to the spot and rescued us. I was saved due to the timely intervention of the local people and the police," she added.

Commission's Visit and Government Response

The OSCW team, led by Mohanty, visited the crime scene near the bridge in Ramachandrapur village and also called on the residences of both girls to record their accounts. Speaking at the site, Mohanty stated: "As per the instructions of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the women's commission has come along with a special team. An impartial probe will be conducted and appropriate action will be taken against whoever is found guilty. As many as five people have already been arrested in the case and I will record the statements of the victim girls. The government has taken immediate steps in this regard in line with its zero-tolerance policy."

Senior Officials at the Scene

Director General of Police Y.B. Khurania also visited the crime scene and personally enquired about the incident, signalling the seriousness with which the state administration is treating the case. The swift deployment of both the DGP and the OSCW team underlines the political sensitivity of a case that involves both a crime against women and the death of a serving police personnel.

What Happens Next

With five arrests already made, investigators are expected to record statements from the victim girls formally as part of the OSCW-led probe. The case presents a complex legal picture — the alleged sexual assault on the girls and the mob lynching of the constable are two distinct criminal matters that will likely proceed on parallel tracks. Odisha's courts will be watched closely for how swiftly charges are framed and whether the state's declared zero-tolerance stance translates into expedited judicial proceedings.