A young couple was brutally assaulted on a busy road in Odisha’s Berhampur city on Monday evening. The attack happened in plain sight of the public. A video of the incident went viral, triggering outrage across the state.
The assault took place around 9 pm at the Giri Market area. Umesh Rath and his female companion had stopped at a roadside food stall when two brothers, Mukteswar Kumar Sahu and Ashis Kumar Sahu, arrived armed with sticks and launched a vicious attack on Rath.
The video shows the young man lying helpless on the road while his girlfriend tries to shield him from repeated blows. A fallen motorcycle nearby suggests the couple may have been intercepted before the assault began.
Onlookers appeared visibly shaken. Several stopped to watch, but no one intervened immediately.
A shocking incident of public violence was reported from Berhampur on Tuesday evening, raising serious concerns over law and order in Odisha.
According to preliminary reports, Mukteswar Kumar Sahu of the Hilpatna area and his younger brother, Ashis Kumar Sahu, allegedly attacked… pic.twitter.com/y7LT8immQH
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Victims hospitalised, condition stable
The injured youth has been identified as Umesh Rath. His companion was also injured while trying to protect him during the assault. Both were admitted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital for treatment.
Doctors confirmed that both are in stable condition following treatment.
Police say it was a gang rivalry
The police have offered a different context to the incident. SP (Berhampur) Saravana Vivek M told the media that 14 criminal cases are pending against the victim. According to him, the attackers and the victim had been working in the same group and had differences. The attack was the result of past enmity.
Teams from Town Police Station, Baidyanathpur Police Station, and Gosaninuagaon Police Station promptly reached the spot and launched investigation. The victims’ statements have been recorded.
Police registered a case against more than five accused persons, including Ashish Sahu and Mukesh Sahu. Officials said the accused have been identified and search operations are underway at multiple locations.
No arrests yet
Even a day after the assault, police are yet to make any arrests in the case. Raids are reportedly underway to trace the identified accused persons.
The delay in arrests has added to public frustration, especially given the clear footage available from the viral video and CCTV cameras in the area.
Naveen Patnaik slams BJP government
The incident drew sharp political reaction. Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik expressed deep concern, stating that the incident has left people across Odisha fearful and deeply disturbed. In a strongly worded post on X, he said, “It feels like the BJP government has handed Odisha over to criminals. Emboldened, criminals are committing extremely brutal acts.”
Patnaik alleged criminals act fearlessly while police remain ineffective. He questioned administration’s silence, asking, “Where is the rule of law?”
Patnaik accused the BJP government of handing Odisha over to criminals and failing to protect citizens. He also demanded strict action against the culprits and called for immediate steps to restore order.