The incident reportedly took place on a road leading to the Kapilash hill shrine in Dhenkanal. The couple, reportedly tourists, were travelling on a motorcycle when a group intercepted them on an isolated stretch.
A purported video of the incident has circulated widely on social media. It appears to show several people surrounding the couple and assaulting the man.
The woman can reportedly be heard calling for help in the footage.
The authenticity of the video and the complete circumstances surrounding the incident have not been independently verified.
Police register FIR, detain two
Dhenkanal Superintendent of Police Abhinav Sonkar said police took cognisance of the video and registered an FIR at Gondia Police Station.
“An investigation is underway,” the SP said.
According to police, two people have been detained based on the preliminary investigation. Further action will follow after investigators establish prima facie evidence against those detained.
Police are also examining whether other people were involved and are working to establish the sequence of events.
Incident comes after Jamui case
The Odisha incident has surfaced days after a similar case in Jamui, Bihar, where two Class 10 students were stopped and harassed by a group of people while returning from an outing.
The Jamui case triggered widespread outrage after videos of the alleged incident circulated on social media. Police subsequently launched an investigation and arrested several accused.
Officials said two accused were later injured during police action while attempting to escape.
Investigation underway
In the Dhenkanal case, police are examining the viral footage and other available evidence to determine what happened on the road and identify everyone allegedly involved.
The identities and specific roles of the detained persons have not been disclosed in the information available so far.
Police are also expected to verify the location, timing and circumstances in which the video was recorded before drawing conclusions about the incident.
