A man and his girlfriend were attacked with sticks by a group of people in Odisha’s Berhampur city, sparking outrage after a video of the incident went viral on social media.
Police said the accident occurred on Monday evening when they were riding a motorcycle.
A group of people allegedly intercepted the motorcycle in Bijipur area, and the man was dragged onto the road and assaulted with sticks. They added that the woman who tried to protect him was also injured during the attack.
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They added that the injured were transferred to MKCG Medical College and Hospital.
Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M said that teams from the city police station, Baidyanathpur police station and Gosaninuagaon police station rushed to the spot after being informed about the incident.
Sanjay Kumar, Additional Director General (Law and Order), told PTI that the accused have been identified and raids are on to nab them.
The incident sparked sharp political reactions after videos of the assault spread.
Here is the video (Disturbing images, viewer discretion advised) –
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Opposition leader Naveen Patnaik criticized the government over the law and order situation in the state.
Patnaik said Odisha was witnessing a “horrific scene of chaos” and alleged that ‘Gundaraj’ was prevailing in the state.
He described the attack as “inhumane” and said the incident shocked people across the state.
He further alleged that criminals have become more emboldened and have questioned the work of the police department and the state government’s handling of public safety.
Patnaik demanded strict action against those responsible and urged the government to ensure the safety of ordinary citizens.
