In an emotional homecoming that he describes as a rebirth, a 36-year-old man from Odisha has returned to his family after enduring a 40-day ordeal as a captive of a militia in war-torn Sudan. Adarsh Behera, a father of two from Kotakana village in Jagatsinghpur district, was kidnapped by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and released following coordinated efforts by the Indian Embassy and international agencies.
A Harrowing Ordeal in Captivity
Recounting the traumatic experience, Adarsh Behera said he was abducted by around 15 armed men on October 29 while he was trying to move to a safer location in al-Fashir, Sudan. He was initially held in a jungle for three days before being shifted to a prison, which he described as being no better than a cattle shed. "It was pitch-dark everywhere," he recalled, detailing the conditions of his imprisonment.
His survival during those 40 days was a daily struggle. He subsisted on just one packet of biscuits or a few slices of bread each day. The psychological torture was severe, as his captors refused his repeated requests to contact his family back in India. The RSF personnel even shot a video of him in captivity and sent it directly to his wife Sasmita's phone, a move designed to intimidate and terrify the family.
From Odisha to Sudan: A Search for Better Prospects
Adarsh's journey to Sudan was driven by economic necessity. After working for nearly two decades on a meagre salary in various Indian cities, he decided in December 2022 to seek work abroad to save more money for his family. His plans were brutally interrupted when conflict erupted in Sudan, and he had managed to work there for only six to seven months before the war started.
Back in Kotakana village, his wife Sasmita sprang into action the moment she received the distressing call from an unknown number on October 29, where she heard her husband's voice stating he had been abducted. She approached every possible authority, including Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who took immediate note of the crisis.
Diplomatic Push for a Safe Return
Chief Minister Majhi directed senior state officers to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs and instructed the Odisha Resident Commissioner in New Delhi to maintain constant touch with the Indian Embassy in Sudan. This persistent diplomatic and administrative pressure played a crucial role in securing Adarsh's release.
Expressing his relief, CM Majhi posted on social media platform X on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, stating it was a matter of immense joy that the young Odia man was returning safely to his homeland. He emphasized that the state government had treated Adarsh's disappearance with the utmost seriousness.
The final leg of Adarsh's return remains a blur to him due to the circumstances. He was handcuffed and blindfolded during his transit out of Sudan and only realized he had left the country when he landed in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. From there, he travelled to Hyderabad and finally reached Bhubaneswar on Wednesday, December 17, 2025.
Now reunited with his wife and two children, Adarsh Behera summed up his feelings, saying, "I never thought I would be reunited with my family again… seeing them again is like rebirth." His story highlights the perils faced by Indian nationals in conflict zones and the critical importance of swift governmental intervention in such international crises.
