A shocking case unfolded in Khurda district when Railway Police exposed a father’s elaborate plan to hide his illicit relationship by staging the kidnapping of his four‑month‑old son.
Prashant Pradhan of Kalamatia village in Nayagarh, already married, lived in Chennai with his sister‑in‑law Chinulata Parida, with whom he had a child. To distance himself from her and conceal the affair, Prashant devised a plan to hand over the baby to his first wife, Minulata.
On April 7, Prashant arrived at Nirakarpur railway station with Chinulata and the infant. While Chinulata slept, he secretly gave the baby to Minulata, who fled to Ranpur with the child. Moments later, Prashant created a false scene, claiming the baby had been kidnapped, and filed a complaint with the Railway Police.
Investigators noticed contradictions in his statements and interrogated him repeatedly. Under pressure, Prashant confessed to staging the abduction. A police team led by ASI Dilip Kumar Sahu rescued the baby from Ranpur and arrested Prashant. Senior officers, including ADG Arun Bothra and SP Bhavani Shankar Udgata, supervised the operation.
The child was handed over to the Khurda Child Welfare Committee for care. Chinulata alleged that Prashant often assaulted her.
