The mastermind behind the shocking kidnapping case in Chikiti, Kartik Behera, alias Anna, was arrested by Berhampur police in a dramatic raid at his stepmother’s residence in Tekali.
The arrest marks a significant breakthrough in a case that involved the abduction of four individuals, including a financial agent and his associates, under the pretext of a loan project discussion.
On January 23, 2025, the victims were lured to Berhampur, where they were brutally assaulted and held for a ransom demand of ₹1 crore. Three days later, on January 26, they were moved to an abandoned cowshed in Chikiti Fort, owned by Nutan Patra, where they were subjected to further physical torture and threats involving a venomous snake. The chilling nature of the crime sent shockwaves through the region.
Following a tip-off, a special police team, acting on the orders of the Berhampur SP, conducted the raid and apprehended Anna, who had been evading capture. Other accomplices, including Nutan Kumar Patra, Sagar Prasad Sahu, Prithviraj Sahu, Danda Maharana, Rabindra Mahanti, K. Sunil, T. Ganesh, Sashikant Behera, and Prabir Kumar Sahu, were arrested earlier with the assistance of Chikiti SDPO Biswamitra Harpal and Nuagaon IIC Kishore Samal.
Anna had previously applied for bail at the Odisha High Court, but his plea was rejected on March 25, 2025. The court ordered him to surrender before the JMFC in Patrapur, an order he defied by going into hiding. During interrogation, Anna confessed to his role in the kidnapping and admitted to involvement in other criminal activities.
