Odisha : The Man Who Stood Between Mob and A Woman To Save Her Life
The youth from Kalyansinghpur block risked his own life to rescue the woman from a violent mob that had stripped, assaulted and almost lynched her.
Bhubaneswar : A young tribal man from Odisha's Rayagada district has emerged as a powerful reminder that courage and humanity can still prevail over fear and frenzy. When an enraged crowd descended on a young woman non-governmental worker (NGO) worker, accusing her of being a child kidnapper, most people stepped back.
The youth from Kalyansinghpur block risked his own life to rescue the woman from a violent mob that had stripped, assaulted and nearly lynched her. His extraordinary act of bravery has since drawn admiration across Odisha and beyond.
Recalling the harrowing night, Balaram said he was returning home after visiting the local electricity office to lodge a complaint about a power outage. After stopping at a roadside eatery for dinner, he heard desperate cries for help.
“I rushed towards the spot and saw a crowd surrounding a young woman and her male friend. They were beating her mercilessly, suspecting them to be child kidnappers,” he told reporters.
What he witnessed next was horrifying. Of the two, the woman had been severely assaulted, her clothes torn off by the mob. Police personnel, including the officer-in-charge of the local police station, were present and attempting to control the situation, but the crowd had become dangerously aggressive.
Without pausing to consider the risks, Balaram pushed his way into the mob.
“It was around 8.30 pm. There seemed to be no way to save her. Suddenly, I entered the crowd, grabbed hold of her and ran. People kicked and slapped me from behind, but I did not let go. I wrapped her in my T-shirt,” he recalled.
The woman was eventually placed inside a police response vehicle. Realising that she had been left almost unclothed during the assault, Balaram removed the black T-shirt he was wearing and handed it to her.
“Lord Jagannath gave me the courage,” he said simply.
Even after the rescue, the danger was far from over. The mob reportedly tried to prevent the police vehicle from leaving, with some individuals clinging to it in an attempt to stop the escape. The driver manoeuvred through the crowd and drove the injured woman to safety.
The incident occurred on June 16 in Intaliguda village under Kalyansinghpur block, where two NGO workers from outside the state were allegedly attacked after being mistaken for child kidnappers.
“Amid the disturbing images of violence, however, one image stands apart — that of a young tribal man running through an angry crowd, shielding a stranger from certain death. At a time when fear silenced many, Balaram Bag chose humanity. In doing so, he became the hero of a story that could easily have ended in tragedy
