Top News

A 36-year-old Indian man has been kidnapped by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan’s conflict-ravaged Darfur region, according to media reports. The abduction highlights the worsening security situation in the country, which has been gripped by violent clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF since April 2023.

The victim has been identified as Adarsh Behera, a native of Jagatsinghpur district in Odisha. Behera had been working at Sukarati Plastic Factory in Sudan since 2022.

According to Press Trust of India (PTI), he was abducted from El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur — about 1,000 kilometres from Khartoum — and is believed to have been taken to Nyala, the capital of South Darfur and a stronghold of the RSF.

Video shows Indian hostage questioned by militia

A video verified by NDTV shows Behera sitting between two armed RSF soldiers. One of them is heard asking him in English, “Do you know Shah Rukh Khan?” Another militant instructs him to say, “Dagalo good,” referring to Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, the commander of the RSF and a key figure in Sudan’s ongoing civil war.

In another video shared by his family, Behera is seen sitting on the floor with folded hands, appealing for help. “I am here in El-Fasher where the situation is very bad. I have been living here for two years with great difficulty. My family and children are very worried. I request the Odisha government to help me,” he says in the video.

Behera’s wife, Susmita, told NDTV that her husband had warned her about the deteriorating situation in Sudan but they never imagined such a crisis. The couple have two young sons, aged eight and three. The family has appealed to both the Odisha government and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to intervene for his safe release.

Naveen Patnaik urges MEA to act swiftly

In a statement on X on Tuesday, November 4, former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed deep concern over the kidnapping of Adarsh Behera and urged immediate intervention from the central government.

“Deeply concerned to know that Adarsh Behera from Jagatsinghpur District of #Odisha has been kidnapped by paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan’s Al Fashir. Urge Indian Government and the Ministry of External Affairs (@MEAIndia) to intervene into the matter with urgency and coordinate with the officials of Sudan for his early release,” he wrote.

Sudanese envoy calls situation ‘unpredictable’

Speaking to PTI and Asian News International (ANI), Sudan’s ambassador to India, Dr Mohammed Abdalla Ali Eltom, described the situation in Darfur as “very unpredictable” and assured that his government is coordinating efforts for Behera’s safe return.

“We have seen the reports of the Indian national who was abducted by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), but we are not in a position to confirm such reports. We pray that they keep him safe,” Dr Eltom said.

He added, “This militia is notorious for the atrocities it can commit, but we hope that they will make sure he’s safe and sound. We, as a government, are ready to play any role in ensuring his safe return to India, and we will cooperate with the Indian authorities. We’ll offer everything we can to bring him home.”

RSF captures key Darfur city amid global alarm

The RSF recently captured El-Fasher, the Sudanese army’s last major stronghold in the Darfur region, after an 18-month siege. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has warned that the RSF’s actions — including reports of mass killings and sexual violence — could amount to war crimes.

The civil war between the SAF, led by Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Hemedti, has devastated Sudan, displacing more than 13 million people and pushing millions toward famine.