Naveen Patnaik Condemns Balianta Lynching, Questions Odisha Law and Order Situation

Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Friday strongly condemned the lynching of a young man in broad daylight at Balianta on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, calling the incident “utterly barbaric” and raising serious concerns over the law and order situation in the state.

In a strongly-worded statement, Patnaik criticised the state government for its silence following the gruesome incident. “The incident in Balianta, where a young man was beaten to death in broad daylight, is utterly barbaric. Even as such a heinous event unfolds near the state capital, the government’s inexplicable silence is shocking the people of the state,” he said.

Questioning the functioning of the police and administration, Patnaik asked, “If such incidents are occurring in the presence of police, whom will people turn to for protection? Why is the police administration and the government so helpless before criminals?”

He also expressed concern over the overall law and order situation in Odisha, referring to recent violent incidents in Hinjili, Kanasa, and Dhenkanal. He questioned what exemplary action had been taken by the government in those cases and warned that governance cannot function on “grand speeches” and “empty bombast.”

Patnaik urged the administration to take immediate and strict measures to restore public confidence and ensure safety across the state.

The incident took place on Thursday afternoon in the Bhingarapur area under Balianta police limits. According to reports, two youths travelling on a motorcycle allegedly collided with a scooter carrying two women, leading to a heated altercation. The women accused the youths of attempting to sexually assault them.

Soon after, local residents gathered at the spot, overpowered the two youths, tied them with bamboo sticks, and brutally assaulted them.

One of the victims, Soumya Ranjan Swain (32), a constable with the Government Railway Police (GRP) from the Adaspur area in Cuttack, succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar.

The second injured youth, Om Prakash Rout, remains in critical condition and is currently undergoing treatment.