Mob Fury: 9 Arrested For Torturing Two Dalit Youths in Ganjam

According to police, the victims — Bulu Nayak (52) and Babul Nayak (43) of Singipur village — had purchased a cow and two calves and were returning home on Sunday when a mob intercepted them at Kharigumma village under Dharakote police limits. Accusing them of smuggling cattle, the group allegedly demanded Rs 30,000 for their release. When the youths refused to pay, the mob turned violent.

The victims were brutally assaulted, partially tonsured, and paraded on their knees for nearly two kilometers through the village streets. In an act of complete humiliation, the mob reportedly forced the men to crawl with grass clamped between their teeth and drink sewage water from a drain, while some bystanders filmed the ordeal on mobile phones. The attackers also allegedly looted ₹700 in cash and seized the victims’ mobile phones.

“A case has been registered based on the victims’ complaint, and nine persons have been arrested so far. Further investigation is underway,” said Chandrika Swain, Inspector of Dharakote police station.

A disturbing video of the incident, which has since surfaced on social media, shows the two men crawling with grass in their mouths as members of the mob follow behind.

The brutality inflicted has drawn widespread condemnation from across the state, with civil rights groups, political leaders, and citizens expressing outrage over the medieval-style punishment and mob vigilantism. Many have compared the incident to Taliban-era atrocities, questioning the erosion of humanity and the rise of mob justice in rural Odisha.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the victims were transporting the cattle to Singipur village, reportedly as part of a dowry arrangement for an upcoming wedding. However, the mob branded them as smugglers and took the law into their own hands.

Human rights advocates have demanded strict legal action against the culprits and immediate protection and rehabilitation for the victims.