11-year-old boy's disappearance sparks protest in Puri's Delang

Bhubaneswar: The disappearance of an 11-year-old boy from his home in the Delang area of Puri district on April 15 has sparked outrage among his relatives and locals, prompting them to stage a demonstration outside the Delang police outpost on Sunday over alleged police inaction.

The missing child, Ashirbad Sahoo, a Class VI student, was last seen around 6.15 pm, according to a complaint filed by his uncle, Somanath Sahoo, at Delang police station on April 15. Family members said Ashirbad had returned home at 6 pm after escorting his 8-year-old sister to her tutor's residence in the village. He was found missing when his mother went to give him evening snacks fifteen minutes later.

His father, Manas Kumar Sahoo, who runs a small shop in Delang market, believes his son was abducted. "We have been spending sleepless nights ever since my son disappeared. I have no conflicts with anyone. We urge the police to retrieve my son safely," Manas said.

Prahalad Pradhan, one of the agitators, said, "We are unhappy over the police response so far. Though five days have already passed, the police have failed to trace the missing child. We are concerned about his safety and well-being."

Police denied negligence on their part and said they have formed multiple teams for the search. Fire service personnel searched nearby ponds and rivers between Wednesday and Saturday. Despite checking CCTV footage in the vicinity, the investigation shows no progress so far.

Puri SP Vinit Agrawal met the victim's family, promised swift action, and reviewed the investigation with police personnel. "We are not leaving any stone unturned. Our teams are making sincere efforts. I am personally monitoring the investigation," Agrawal said.

Villagers confirmed not seeing Ashirbad in the market area that evening. "Our village is quite small in size, with the Hata Delang marketplace nearby. We would have spotted the boy if he had travelled through this area. His vanishing has left many unanswered questions," said Surajit Pradhan, another villager.

In a written reply in the assembly last month, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi said 20,060 missing persons cases had been registered across the state between June 1, 2024 and Feb 28, 2025. Of these, 7,048 people have been traced while 13,012 are still in the missing list.

Bhubaneswar: The disappearance of an 11-year-old boy from his home in the Delang area of Puri district on April 15 has sparked outrage among his relatives and locals, prompting them to stage a demonstration outside the Delang police outpost on Sunday over alleged police inaction.

The missing child, Ashirbad Sahoo, a Class VI student, was last seen around 6.15 pm, according to a complaint filed by his uncle, Somanath Sahoo, at Delang police station on April 15. Family members said Ashirbad had returned home at 6 pm after escorting his 8-year-old sister to her tutor's residence in the village. He was found missing when his mother went to give him evening snacks fifteen minutes later.

His father, Manas Kumar Sahoo, who runs a small shop in Delang market, believes his son was abducted. "We have been spending sleepless nights ever since my son disappeared. I have no conflicts with anyone. We urge the police to retrieve my son safely," Manas said.

Prahalad Pradhan, one of the agitators, said, "We are unhappy over the police response so far. Though five days have already passed, the police have failed to trace the missing child. We are concerned about his safety and well-being."

Police denied negligence on their part and said they have formed multiple teams for the search. Fire service personnel searched nearby ponds and rivers between Wednesday and Saturday. Despite checking CCTV footage in the vicinity, the investigation shows no progress so far.

Puri SP Vinit Agrawal met the victim's family, promised swift action, and reviewed the investigation with police personnel. "We are not leaving any stone unturned. Our teams are making sincere efforts. I am personally monitoring the investigation," Agrawal said.

Villagers confirmed not seeing Ashirbad in the market area that evening. "Our village is quite small in size, with the Hata Delang marketplace nearby. We would have spotted the boy if he had travelled through this area. His vanishing has left many unanswered questions," said Surajit Pradhan, another villager.

In a written reply in the assembly last month, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi said 20,060 missing persons cases had been registered across the state between June 1, 2024 and Feb 28, 2025. Of these, 7,048 people have been traced while 13,012 are still in the missing list.