Koraput lynching case: Odisha police identify deceased

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Jeypore, Apr 10:

While investigation is underway into the brutal lynching of four youths by unidentified assailants near Balia bridge on the outskirts of Jeypore town in Odisha’s Koraput district late on Wednesday night, the police in the meanwhile, have identified the deceased.

“We have established the identity of the deceased who hail from Anuppur and Shahdol districts of Madhya Pradesh. We have informed the family members of the deceased who have arrived here,” said IG, south-western range, Yashwant Jethwa.

Talking to the media today, he said the police, during investigation, have come to know that the four youths from these two districts, after arriving in Koraput, were joined by six local youths. The 10-member team was on its way to Jeypore on two four-wheelers and two bikes when they were ambushed near Balia.

“Preliminary investigation has revealed that the deceased were involved in illegal ganja trade. Police have seized over one quintal of ganja from their associates and arrested five of them under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. They would be forwarded to the court today,” the IG informed.

Jethwa also said the police have started interrogation of 25 persons of nearby villages whose involvement in the murder has been established.

Referring to the circumstances that led to the murder of the four youths, the IG said there was a rumour on child theft in the area by a racket which was lifting children and allegedly transplanting their organs.

“The villagers who were on the lookout for memebrs of the racket, mistook the four youths of Madhya Pradesh as members of the gang and lynched them,” he pointed out.