Bhubaneswar: Amid statewide condemnation following the brutal lynching of railway constable Soumya Ranjan Swain for allegedly trying to rape a woman on the city’s outskirts, the government on Friday assured exemplary action against those involved in the incident.Video footage, that have since gone viral, showed the 32-year-old being tied to a pole and beaten to death by some locals on Thursday in the Balianta area.As the incident sparked furore, chief secretary Anu Garg held a high-level meeting with DGP YB Khurania, police commissioner S Dev Datta Singh, and chief minister’s advisor Prakash Mishra to review the situation.“The govt will not spare the culprits. Acting on the chief minister’s directive, police have already arrested five accused within hours of the crime, and others will soon face action as per law,” deputy chief minister KV Singh Deo assured.Responding to criticism over alleged police inaction and the boldness of anti-social elements, Singh Deo said, “It is wrong to say that fear of the police is lacking. The govt will rein in such elements.”BJD president Naveen Patnaik and Congress president Bhakta Charan Das linked the mob violence to deteriorating law and order in the state, which was rebuffed by revenue minister Suresh Pujari. “The government is committed to maintaining law and order with zero tolerance for criminals. People must not take law into their own hands,” Pujari said.The DGP, who visited the crime spot along with ADG (law and order) Sanjay Kumar, said efforts are underway to nab all those involved. He also reviewed women’s safety measures in the state.The state commission for women (SCW) also began its own inquiry into allegations that Swain tried to rape the 24-year-old woman. SCW chairperson Shovana Mohanty recorded testimonies of the survivor and her friend.Swain’s associate Om Prakash Rout, who was with him during the incident, refuted allegations the former had tried to rape the woman. Rout, who had been in the police custody since Thursday, was released on Friday evening. Talking to the media, Rout said the tragedy began from a misunderstanding when their bike accidentally collided with the scooter in which the two women were travelling.“At that moment, Swain suffered a sudden epileptic seizure and collapsed on one of the women. Mistaking his medical condition for misconduct, she raised an alarm, which quickly drew villagers to the scene,” Rout said.
