Berhampur: Police are yet to arrest the accused involved in the brutal assault on a 27-year old youth Umesh Rath of Bijipur on the busy Giri Road in Berhampur, even after 24 hours of the incident.
However, as per Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M, four police teams have been formed to trace the attackers, and five accused have already been identified. According to police, Umesh has as many as 15 criminal cases pending against him at Baidyanathpur, Gosani Nuagaon, Sadar and Town police stations.
He was arrested by Town police around a month ago and later released on bail three days back. Umesh, who sustained critical injuries in the attack, was initially treated at MKCG Medical College and Hospital before being shifted to Visakhapatnam for advanced treatment. He is now out of danger, the SP said. On Monday around 9 pm, Umesh was travelling on a motorcycle with his wife Gayatri when a group of miscreants intercepted them on Giri Road and thrashed him mercilessly with sticks in public view. Gayatri was also injured in the attack.
A video of the incident later went viral on social media. The footage showed terrified onlookers standing as mute spectators while the assailants carried out the attack. The incident has drawn comparisons with the recent public assault and murder of Soumyaranjan Nayak at Balianta on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, which had sparked widespread outrage across the state and country.
The SP said, Town police registered a case No. 198/26 in connection with the attack. Cases have been registered against five accused persons, and they will be arrested soon, he added.
