Bhubaneswar: A disturbing video showing a young man being mercilessly beaten in what appears to be a politically motivated “kangaroo court” in Odisha’s Subarnapur district has gone viral, triggering public outrage and prompting police action.The victim, identified as Nitish Kumar Saanḍh from Kuhibahal village, was allegedly targeted by a group of men associated with Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the main opposition party in Odisha, after he posted content on social media deemed provocative. The post reportedly criticised Ashok Nanda—husband of the Binika block chairperson and a close aide of Subarnapur MLA and former Minister Niranjan Pujari.Sources say Nitish was deceitfully lured on Tuesday evening to the residence of Sonali Bishi, an independent candidate for the Bisipada MLA seat. Believing he had been summoned for a discussion, he instead found himself surrounded by 10 to 15 men, allegedly BJD supporters close to Nanda.What followed was a chilling spectacle: an informal “kangaroo court” where Nitish was beaten black and blue, without resistance. The video, which has since gone viral, shows the young man being assaulted and coerced into issuing a forced apology on camera. The footage was later circulated on social media, further amplifying public condemnation.In the aftermath, Nitish lodged a formal complaint at the Birmaharajpur police station. The first information report (FIR) names Ashok Nanda, Binika block vice-chairperson Narayan Luha, and local BJD leader Pinku Kalsai as key accused. Police have confirmed the registration of a case and said that an investigation is currently underway.Despite the gravity of the incident and the viral nature of the video, the BJD leadership has remained silent, with no official statement issued at the time of reporting.“This incident has raised serious concerns over political intimidation, misuse of power, and the growing trend of extrajudicial actions under the guise of informal justice—issues that now demand urgent attention from both the authorities and civil society. We expect the police to take suo moto notice of the incident and punish the culprits,” Kambudhar Kheti, a local resident said.
Source link
