Odisha Man Kidnapped in Sudan; Family Appeals for Government’s Help

Tirtol (Jagatsinghpur): The family of Adarsh Kumar Behera, a resident of Kotakana village under Tirtol police limits in Jagatsinghpur district, has urged the State and Central Governments to take urgent steps for his rescue after he was allegedly kidnapped by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia in Sudan.

According to reports, Adarsh was abducted in Al Fashir, a city located about 1,000 km from Khartoum. In a video message that surfaced online, he is seen sitting between two RSF soldiers. One of them can be heard asking, “Do you know Shah Rukh Khan?” Adarsh then pleads for help, saying, “Kidnappers have kept me in Al Fashir where the situation is very bad. My family and children are very worried. I request the state government to help me.”

His mother, Arati Behera, broke down while speaking to reporters. “We have no idea about my son’s condition. Please bring him back. My grandsons have stopped eating and the entire family is in distress. He is our only child,” she said in tears.

His father, Khetrabasi Behera, said Adarsh had gone to South Sudan in 2022 to work at a plastic factory. “Due to the war, his work was disrupted and he could not return. Later, he was kidnapped. For the last 8–10 days, we haven’t been able to contact him. The kidnappers are intimidating him and not giving him food. I appeal to the government to bring my son back safely,” he said emotionally.

Confirming the development, Jagatsinghpur SP Ankit Kumar Verma said, “After learning about the plight of a man from our district in Sudan, we informed the state government and the Director General of Police to take necessary action.”

Following the reports, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi directed senior officials to take immediate action and urged the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to intervene. Acting on his instructions, the Director General of Intelligence has written to the MEA seeking assistance for Adarsh’s safe release.

Meanwhile, BJD Supremo and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik has also appealed to the Central Government and MEA to act swiftly and ensure his rescue at the earliest.