Sonepur Boy Rescued from Puri After Rs 20 Lakh Ransom Kidnapping

In a dramatic rescue operation, Odisha Police successfully recovered a nine-year-old boy, Ayush, who was kidnapped for ransom from Patabhadi in Sonepur district.

he child was abducted on Sunday evening while visiting a local fast-food shop and was later traced to Puri, where he was confined near Mahabir Guest House.

The abductors, allegedly from Uttar Pradesh, demanded Rs 20 lakh from Ayush’s father, Sradhakar Nayak, through threatening WhatsApp calls and messages.

Acting swiftly, Sonepur Police registered a case and formed three dedicated squads under SP Narayan Nayak and Northern Range IG Himanshu Lal.

Cyber teams from Sonepur and Bolangir collaborated to trace the boy’s location.

Puri SP Prateek Singh and City DSP coordinated the rescue, leading to Ayush’s safe recovery.

A vehicle and a firearm magazine were recovered from Jagannath Ballav’s parking, believed to be linked to the kidnappers, who remain at large.

The incident has sparked widespread concern in Sonepur, a town known for its tranquillity.

Civil society groups are demanding the immediate arrest of the culprits, while authorities assure that a special squad is actively pursuing the fugitives.