- NGO workers assaulted, stripped by mob in Rayagada.
- Mob suspected them of being child-lifters.
- Police arrested 21 people; investigation ongoing.
Odisha: A mob in Odisha's Rayagada district allegedly assaulted and stripped two NGO workers, including a woman, after suspecting them of being members of a child-lifting gang. Police have arrested 21 people in connection with the assault, and further investigation is ongoing.
What Is The Whole Incident?
A woman working with an NGO in Odisha's Kandhmal district was travelling with a male colleague towards Thuamul Rampur in Kalahandi when the incident occurred. Unfamiliar with the area, the duo relied on a mobile navigation system, which mistakenly routed them through a remote stretch into the Rayagada district.
On the night of June 16, while passing through Kandulguda village in the Dhamunipanga panchayat, they stopped to ask locals for directions. During the interaction, they spoke with some children and distributed biscuits. This gesture quickly sparked a rumour among the villagers that the two were child kidnappers.
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NGO Workers Assaulted In Rayagada After Child-Kidnapping Rumours
According to the survivor, a group of people stopped their scooter, removed the key, and demanded identification documents. Despite the woman showing her ID card, the crowd remained unconvinced, NDTV reported.
The situation quickly escalated into a violent assault, with the mob thrashing her, tearing her clothes and beating her colleague. Several villagers recorded the entire ordeal on their mobile cameras. However, some locals intervened to rescue the two workers and alerted the police.
"After getting information, our officers rushed to the spot, rescued the two victims and immediately admitted them to a local hospital. Subsequently, they were shifted to Rayagada district headquarters hospital and later discharged," news agency PTI Rayagada SP Raj Prasad as saying.
Authorities have arrested 21 individuals in connection with the assault. "Further investigation is ongoing, and all other persons involved in the crime will not be spared," the SP said, adding that the two victims have been discharged from the hospital and are currently doing well.
(With Inputs From PTI)