Bhubaneswar: In a swift and coordinated operation, the Commissionerate Police rescued a 2-year-old boy from Balasore, just 48 hours after he was allegedly abducted near Ram Temple in Bhubaneswar late Saturday night.
The accused, identified as Kedarsan Panda (27) of Gangadharapur, has been arrested.
According to a police press release, the complainant, Laxmi—a visually challenged woman—resides with her 7-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son at Kanyashram, Niladri Vihar, Chandrasekharpur. She sustains her livelihood through begging and frequents the Ram Temple in Unit-3 daily with her children.
On April 12, during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations, the temple premises were crowded. Due to heavy evening rain, Laxmi was unable to return to the shelter and slept outside the temple with her children. It was during this time that the accused approached the family, gained their trust, and kidnapped the male child.
Panda subsequently took the child to Bhubaneswar Railway Station and boarded a train to Balasore. As part of a pre-planned arrangement, Jhelam Rani Panda received them at Balasore Railway Station and accompanied Panda with the kidnapped child.
Further investigation revealed that Kedarsan had recently returned to Odisha after working as a delivery executive for Zomato and Swiggy in Bengaluru. There, he became acquainted with Jhelam Rani Panda, whose husband was employed as a security guard. The two remained in contact and met in Odisha after his return.
Police stated that the accused had developed a close relationship with Jhelam, who is the mother of two daughters and a 9-year-old son suffering from a serious illness.
During interrogation, Jhelam claimed she wished to adopt a male child, believing that such a noble act would bring blessings and help heal her son. Her statements are under verification and her role in the case remains under investigation.
Rescue Operation
The child was rescued from the Khantapada area under Balasore district, while the kidnapper was apprehended from Puri. The operation involved:
- Deployment of four dedicated police teams, including teams operating outside the state.
- Use of human and technical intelligence, Smart City surveillance, mobile forensics, and witness examination.
- Coordination with RPF, West Bengal Police, Balasore Police, and Bhadrak Police.
- Multiple raids at identified suspect locations.
Criminal History of the Accused
Police also revealed that Kedarsan Panda has a criminal background, with three previous theft cases registered against him:
- Pahal PS Case No. 323/2023 (17/10/2023): Theft of a Honda Activa Scooty (Regd. No. OD 04 R 4762).
- Jajpur PS Case No. 486/2023 (27/12/2023): Theft of a Honda Shine CBF 125 MCA motorcycle (Regd. No. OR 04 M 6677).
- Jajpur PS Case No. 491/2023 (28/12/2023): Theft of an Activa Scooty (Regd. No. OD C 4667).
Police continue to investigate the case, particularly the role of Jhelam Rani Panda and any other possible accomplices.
