School Teacher Disappears While on Census Duty in Mayurbhanj District
A 30-year-old school teacher has vanished under mysterious circumstances while performing Census duties in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, prompting a police investigation. The incident has raised concerns among local authorities and the education department, who are collaborating to locate the missing educator.
Identity and Last Known Movements of Missing Teacher
The missing teacher has been identified as Jyotsnarani Sahu, an assistant teacher at Dhenkinenjia Government Upper Primary School under the jurisdiction of Baripada sadar police station. According to official reports, Sahu has been untraceable since Saturday morning after failing to return home from field work related to the ongoing Census 2026 exercise.
Sahu had been actively engaged in Census duties since April 16. On the day of her disappearance, she left her rented accommodation around 7 am, first heading to her school before proceeding to nearby villages for field verification work. Her last confirmed contact occurred at approximately 11:36 am when she spoke with her brother via telephone, confirming she was still on duty. Following this conversation, attempts by family members to reach her went unanswered, and her mobile phone was subsequently found to be switched off.
Police Response and Search Operation
Concerned about her sudden disappearance, Sahu's landlord, Suresh Chandra Si, filed a formal complaint at Baripada sadar police station on Sunday after conducting extensive searches in the local area. Police authorities have registered a station diary entry and launched a comprehensive search operation to trace the missing teacher.
Sasmita Mohanta, inspector in-charge of Baripada sadar police station, stated, "We have received a complaint regarding the missing teacher. An inquiry is currently underway, and we are making concerted efforts to locate her by exploring all possible angles. Our team is working diligently to gather information and follow up on any leads."
Involvement of Education Department and District Authorities
The education department has been alerted about the situation. The district education officer has reportedly discussed the matter with both the district collector and the Superintendent of Police (SP) to expedite the search operation. This inter-departmental coordination aims to leverage all available resources to ensure a swift resolution to the case.
The disappearance of a teacher during official Census duties has highlighted potential safety concerns for field workers engaged in such exercises. Authorities are urging anyone with information about Sahu's whereabouts to come forward immediately to assist in the investigation.
