A violent clash involving college students has come to light from the Kendrapara district of Odisha, where a youth was brutally assaulted after sending an Instagram text message to a female student. The victim was intercepted on his way, surrounded, and forced to apologize by the girl's male friend and his associates. The incident triggered widespread concern after a video recording of the assault surfaced on social media platforms.
Dispute Over Social Media Contact Leads to Physical Attack
The incident occurred in the Rajnagar area of Kendrapara. The victim is enrolled at Madanpur College and resides at his maternal uncle's house in Gobindpur village for his educational pursuits. According to police findings, the conflict began when the victim reached out via an Instagram message to a female student who attends Pattamundai College.
The message angered the girl's male friend, a resident of Kurundi village within the Rajnagar police station limits. He confronted the victim over why he had messaged or called his female companion. The confrontation quickly escalated into physical violence as the male friend, along with several accomplices, blocked the victim's path and launched a physical attack. The viral footage captures multiple youths encircling the victim and repeatedly hitting him.
Family Learns of Assault Through Viral Video, Files Police Complaint
On the day of the incident, the student departed for college but failed to return to his residence in Gobindpur by evening. As his family grew anxious, a fellow villager forwarded a video clip to them. The recording clearly depicted a group of youths surrounding and assaulting their son. Upon viewing the footage, the victim's mother immediately approached the Pattamundai Rural Police Station to lodge an official complaint.
Acting on the mother's submission, law enforcement authorities registered a case covering charges of abduction and physical assault. Police teams initiated a formal investigation, reviewing the digital evidence to identify the individuals involved in the attack.
Police Investigation Reveals Involvement of Minor College Students
Providing details on the ongoing probe, Pattamundai Rural Police Station Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) Srikant Kumar Barik stated that preliminary findings indicate the incident originated from a personal conflict related to a romantic relationship. A male student at Pattamundai College was involved with his classmate, and the communication sent by the victim on Instagram sparked the violent retaliation.
Inspector Srikant Kumar Barik highlighted that nearly all the individuals seen in the video clip are local college students, with the majority being juvenile minors. Based on visual identification from the footage, police have taken three college students into custody for detailed interrogation. In compliance with legal guidelines concerning minors, the identities of both the victim and the detained suspects have been withheld.
Search Underway for Missing Student, Legal Proceedings in Progress
Efforts are currently underway to locate the victimized student, who remains untraceable following the assault. Police sources indicate that the student appears to have gone into hiding out of fear. Search operations are actively being conducted across suspected locations to ensure his safety and record his formal statement.
Law enforcement officials emphasized that all suspects are being questioned and statements are being gathered from witnesses. Further legal steps will be finalized upon the conclusion of the comprehensive investigation. Authorities continue to monitor youth discipline and safety across educational institutions in the region.
