Diplomatic Intervention Secures Safe Return Of Odia Youth From Sudan; CM Lauds MEA
Untraceable youth in Sudan, raising serious concerns among his family and the state administration.
Bhubaneswar : Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday thanked the ministry of external affairs (MEA) for its timely diplomatic intervention that led to the safe repatriation of Adarsha Behera, an Odia youth who had been stranded in conflict-ravaged Sudan.
Behera had gone untraceable in El Fasher, a city in Sudan’s violence-hit Darfur region, raising serious concerns among his family and the state administration. After reports of his disappearance surfaced in the media, the Chief Minister promptly instructed senior officials to initiate urgent measures to secure his return.
Following these directions, the Director General of the State Intelligence Department formally approached the MEA, seeking immediate assistance. Simultaneously, Odisha’s Resident Commissioner in New Delhi remained in close touch with the MEA, facilitating coordination with the Indian Embassy in Sudan to track Behera’s location and ensure his safe evacuation.
Officials said sustained efforts by the Centre, in collaboration with Indian diplomatic missions and international interlocutors, ultimately led to Behera’s rescue and return to India. The state government remained in constant contact with the Indian Ambassador in Sudan throughout the operation.
Behera had been employed with a plastic manufacturing firm in Sudan since 2022. However, escalating hostilities and a rapidly deteriorating security environment left him trapped in the conflict zone. Last month, he had issued a video appeal seeking help, citing the ongoing civil war. He was later reportedly abducted from his workplace by members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), an armed group active in the region.
