Two Fellowship Workers Attacked in Odisha, Mistaken for Child Kidnappers

The duo was travelling from Daringbadi in Kandhamal district to Thuamul Rampur in Kalahandi district on a scooter.

KORAPUT: Sixteen people have been arrested after a young woman from Delhi and her Gujarat-based male colleague were allegedly attacked by a mob in Odisha’s Rayagada district, with villagers mistaking them for child kidnappers, police said. The incident took place on the night of June 16 under Kalyansinghpur police limits. Police said the mob chased the two fellowship workers, allegedly half-stripped the woman and brutally assaulted both of them. The arrests were made on Thursday evening, while police said a manhunt was underway to identify and arrest more accused. Four cases have been registered in connection with the incident.

Rayagada SP Raj Prasad said the police acted swiftly after receiving information and rescued the two victims. “Acting swiftly, Kalyansinghpur police rescued the two victims and arrested 16 persons, including the prime accused, based on CCTV footage and other evidence. We are also verifying videos recorded by people present at the spot. More arrests are likely as the investigation progresses. Every individual involved in the assault will be identified and brought to justice,” he said.

The victims, both in their early twenties, were working with voluntary organisations under fellowship programmes. The woman from Delhi was involved in solid waste management initiatives in Kalahandi district, while the man from Surat was associated with a turmeric packaging project in Kandhamal district.

According to police, the two were travelling from Daringbadi in Kandhamal district to Thuamul Rampur in Kalahandi on a scooter. Unfamiliar with the route, they were using Google Maps when they entered the Kalyansinghpur area. They stopped near Kandulguda village under Silet Panchayat to ask for directions. During their interaction, they met children celebrating the Raja festival and distributed chocolates. Police said the situation changed after rumours allegedly spread that the two outsiders were child lifters. The rumour quickly travelled through nearby villages through phone calls and word of mouth, causing people to gather.

The volunteers tried to leave after sensing trouble, but alleged that the crowd continued to question them despite them showing their identity cards and explaining their purpose. “We were on an exposure visit and had done nothing wrong. Even after showing our identification documents, people continued to suspect us. The crowd kept growing and the situation became frightening,” the woman said. She alleged that when they tried to seek police help, some members of the crowd misbehaved with them and assaulted them.

Investigators said their scooter later skidded near Dhamunipanga Panchayat while they were attempting to escape. A large mob allegedly caught up with them and attacked them, leaving both injured. Kalyansinghpur IIC Kalpana Behera reached the spot after receiving information and rescued the victims. They were first taken to the Kalyansinghpur Community Health Centre and later shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Rayagada for further treatment. The victims have since been discharged, the SP said, adding that the attack appeared to have been triggered by rumours.