# Odisha villagers gherao Balianta police station over youth assault 2026-08-12T17:35:45+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Villagers of Suddha Sarangi village gheraoed the Balianta police station in Odisha on Wednesday, alleging that a youth named Lakshmidhar Swain was brutally assaulted in an attempted murder. Swain is in a coma and fighting for his life. The protesters accused police of not arresting the accused despite the seriousness of the case. They demanded immediate action and strict punishment. Tension has been high in the area following the recent murder of Soumyaranjan. Police have not yet responded to the allegations. ## Coverage - odishatv.in Tags: Balianta, Lakshmidhar Swain, Odisha, police station gherao, villagers protest, youth assault Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/odisha-villagers-gherao-balianta-police-station-over-youth-assault/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/odisha-villagers-gherao-balianta-police-station-over-youth-assault/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.