Bhubaneswar: The state crime branch, investigating the mob lynching of railway constable Soumya Ranjan Swain (32) on the city’s outskirts on May 7, filed a chargesheet against 11 accused in the court of the sub‑divisional judicial magistrate (SDJM), here on Wednesday.Nine others arrested earlier by Balianta police have not been named in the chargesheet, with the agency citing lack of evidence against them. The decision has raised question mark on the basis of arrests made by the city police in the immediate aftermath of the incident.Swain was beaten to death by a mob at Balianta after allegations surfaced that he had attempted to rape a 22‑year‑old woman on the roadside. The assault unfolded in full public view and in the presence of police personnel, leading to the suspension of four personnel and the transfer of the inspector‑in‑charge of Balianta police station.According to the chargesheet, the accused — strangers to each other as well as to the victim — were drawn to the spot after noticing a crowd on the roadside. On hearing that Swain had allegedly tried to rape a woman in broad daylight, they joined the mob and assaulted him, resulting in his death.“We found sufficient evidence against 11 accused, including nine arrested by us and two by Balianta police. The chargesheet runs into 767 pages,” a crime branch officer said.
