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The constabulary connected Friday (January 16, 2026) arrested 3 persons successful transportation with the lynching of a 35-year-old Muslim antheral successful Odisha’s Balasore territory successful the aboriginal hours of Wednesday (January 14, 2026). They person besides identified 8 others who were contiguous astatine the spot erstwhile the antheral was attacked.
Appropriate enactment volition beryllium taken against them, constabulary said.
The victim, identified arsenic Sk Makandar Mahammad of Astia village, was allegedly attacked by a radical of radical who opposed the reported proscription of a cattle successful a van adjacent Jayadeva Kasba. It was alleged that Mahammad was forced to chant “Jai Shri Ram” astatine the spot.
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A video purportedly showing the unfortunate being forced to chant the slogan has surfaced, though the constabulary said its authenticity has not been ascertained.
Based connected a lawsuit filed astatine the Balasore Sadar constabulary station, 3 accused—Saroj Kumar Behera (25), Chinmay Kumar Das (29) and Sagar Mahalik—have been arrested.
“Three accused person been arrested for their engagement successful the crime. We person identified different 8 radical who were contiguous astatine the spot wherever the antheral was attacked,” said Deputy Inspector General of Police (Eastern range) Pinak Mishra.
Soon aft the incident, the Balasore territory constabulary had initially registered a lawsuit of an mishap owed to the overturning of a vehicle. However, aft the victim’s brother, Sk Jitendar Mahammad, registered a ailment astir the attack, the constabulary swung into action.
Jitendar Mahammad, who was besides successful the vehicle, told constabulary that the unfortunate had been driving the van.
According to an interior study by the Home Department, much than 220 cases of struggle related to cattle proscription and slaughter person been reported crossed Odisha implicit the past 4 years.
The incidental comes adjacent connected the heels of the lynching of a migrant labourer successful Sambalpur territory successful December, 2025. The Bengali-speaking Muslim, who had migrated from West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, was allegedly asked to nutrient his Aadhaar paper to beryllium his nationality earlier being attacked.
