Adarsh Behera, a 36-year-old man from Odisha, who was held hostage for 45 days in war-torn Sudan, has finally returned to India, calling his survival a “second birth”.

Behera reached Bhubaneswar on Wednesday morning, where his emotional reunion with family brought relief after weeks of uncertainty and fear.

Odisha CM welcomes safe return

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said the state government acted immediately after learning about Behera’s disappearance.

In a social media post, Majhi said it was heartening to know that Adarsh Kumar Behera, a young man from Jagatsinghpur district, had returned safely from Sudan.

“We were in constant coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure his safe rescue. Thanks to the prompt action of the Indian government and the cooperation of international mediators, Adarsh returned to his family today,” the Chief Minister said.

Majhi also thanked the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Sudan, adding that the safety of every Odia, whether in India or abroad, remains the government’s top priority.

“I did not eat for many days”

Speaking to the media, Adarsh Behera recounted the horrors of his captivity.

He said he was kidnapped by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia in Sudan and subjected to severe torture.

“They didn’t allow me to eat for many days. They kept me imprisoned and forced me to walk through jungles. I didn’t expect to survive. Thank God they didn’t kill me,” he said.

Behera added that during captivity, he constantly feared for his life and felt his captors could do anything to him.

Family reunion at airport

Adarsh was welcomed at Biju Patnaik International Airport by his family, including his three-year-old son. A senior official said the Indian government secured his release with the help of international mediators.

“This feels like a second birth for me,” Behera said after landing.

Background

• Adarsh Behera is a resident of Kotakana village in Jagatsinghpur district

• He went to Sudan in 2022 and worked as a mechanic in a plastics factory

• He went missing from Al-Fashir town in North Darfur, a region badly affected by civil war

• After his release, he flew from Abu Dhabi to Hyderabad, and then to Bhubaneswar