Bhubaneswar: As the dust begins to settle over the barbaric mob lynching in Balianta on the city’s outskirts, locals are grappling with regret and shame.Many admit that what unfolded was unjustified “mob justice” that could have been avoided, and they now fear the incident will leave a lasting scar on the area’s reputation.The area, about 15 km from Bhubaneswar and known as a rapidly growing residential hub, shot into infamy after a shocking sequence of events on Thursday afternoon.A 24-year-old woman and her 22-year-old friend raised cries of sexual harassment on the busy Hansapal-Bhingarpur road around 10.30 am. What followed was a tragedy that has since sent shockwaves across Odisha.Enraged locals, numbering around 30 to 40, dragged 32-year-old railway constable Soumya Ranjan Swain from the road to a nearby paddy field. He was tied to a pole and beaten mercilessly in full public view, leading to his death. As the chilling video went viral on social media, people of all walks of life described the scene as “barbaric” and “uncontrollable.”“Like kangaroo courts held in undeveloped rural areas, our villagers acted in haste and indulged in moral policing. Even if there was an allegation, the man should have been handed over to the police. Delivering mob justice has brought shame to our locality,” said a local shopkeeper, requesting anonymity.Locals said they remain confused about the true sequence of events that led to the tragedy. “We are still at a loss. We cannot say whether the woman’s allegations were genuine or exaggerated. The situation has become tangled, with multiple versions of the story circulating in the vicinity. The exact provocation that triggered such extreme violence must be thoroughly investigated,” said a resident, unwilling to be named.Elderly residents expressed dismay, noting that the incident has instilled fear among families, mostly children. “Our village was always peaceful. Due to the unruly conduct of some people, our children now are scared to step out, and outsiders look at us with suspicion. This sets a dangerous precedent,” said Nanda Kishore Pradhan, a grocery store owner.Construction workers in front of the crime scene tried to intervene but failed. “We rushed when we saw people dragging the man. We pleaded with them to stop, but no one listened. It was horrifying to watch,” recalled Niroda Pattanayak, a labourer.Local leaders are now calling for introspection. “This was not justice, it was lawlessness. We must learn to trust the police and judiciary. Losing cool without understanding the situation with patience and taking the law into our own hands will only destroy our social fabric,” said Asish Chandra Das, another local.On Friday, the survivor described the mob as her ‘saviours’, finding no fault with them. She apparently defended the mob’s actions and showed no remorse for their conduct.
