Koraput: Police are yet to make any headway in its investigation into the suicide of a 23-year-old youth, who took the extreme step after reportedly being humiliated in a khap panchayat of MPV 20 village within Kalimela police station jurisdictions in Malkangiri district.

"Shortly after the incident, almost all male members of the village have fled the village fearing police action. Therefore, even after two days of the incident, no arrests could have been made. However, the investigation is on in full swing, and efforts are also on to nab the offenders," Kalimela police station inspector-in-charge Ram Prasad Nag said on Saturday.

The youth, identified as Dibakar Bepari, a resident of MPV 20 village, was found hanging near a temple of the village on late Thursday night.

The police said that around 20 days ago, a minor girl of MPV 19 village had eloped with a boy of MPV 20. After a few days, the couple had returned to their respective villages, and the matter was settled by the families concerned.

However, on Thursday evening, a khap panchayat (kangaroo court) was held at MPV 20 where the panchayat members held Dibakar responsible for helping the boy elope with the girl.

"Dibakar was assaulted at the khap panchayat, and a fine of Rs 15,000 was imposed on him by the panchayat for his alleged help to the couple," said Nag.

"Being humiliated by the panchayat members, Dibakar left his home around midnight and hanged himself in a concrete slab of temple of the village," he said. The police said that though no suicide note was found near the body, but based on the complaint filed by the family of the deceased, a case had been registered.