In a case that’s gripping the Odisha capital, the Commissionerate Police continues to grapple with the mysterious disappearance of 25-year-old traffic constable Subhamitra Sahoo, who vanished without a trace nine days ago.
Despite exhaustive searches, CCTV reviews, and a public reward announcement, her family remains in the dark, accusing authorities of inaction and pointing fingers at a colleague they suspect may hold key answers.
Subhamitra, a resident of Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district, was last seen leaving her Suryanagar residence under Capital Police Station limits around 10 a.m. on September 6 for her shift in Bhubaneswar’s traffic wing. Her duty ended at 7 p.m., but she never returned home. What began as a routine day turned into a nightmare for her family when she failed to respond to calls or messages.
Her father, visibly distraught, has issued a desperate public plea: “Wherever my daughter is, I urge her to return home safely. We are lost without her.” He has lodged formal complaints with senior officers, including Twin Cities Police Commissioner S. Dev Dutta Singh and Deputy Commissioner Jagmohan Meena, but claims their meetings have yielded no breakthroughs. “The police aren’t sharing any updates with us,” he alleged, adding that they’ve been left to “wander in the dark” while the investigation stalls.
The family’s frustration has boiled over into serious accusations. They suspect foul play involving a man working in the accounts section at the CP office. “He needs to be questioned immediately,” Subhamitra’s father demanded, citing prior tensions between the two. Police sources, however, have dismissed these claims as unsubstantiated, noting that preliminary inquiries suggest the disappearance may stem from personal or relational issues rather than criminal intent.
According to senior police officials speaking on condition of anonymity, Subhamitra had a heated argument with the accused on the day she went missing. In a fit of rage, she reportedly smashed her own phone before heading out, which has complicated tracking efforts. “Teams have been formed, and we’re scouring CCTV footage from multiple locations,” one officer revealed. To bolster the search, the Commissionerate Police announced a Rs 25,000 reward on September 14 for credible tips leading to her location, sharing her photo across social media platforms with contact numbers for leads: 7008264419 and WhatsApp 8280338302.
The family has escalated their appeal, meeting with the Havildar and Constable Association president on Monday to submit a formal demand letter urging faster action. Meanwhile, posters of Subhamitra have been plastered across Bhubaneswar, and police have urged the public to come forward with any information, assuring anonymity for informants.
As the clock ticks past the one-week mark, the enigma of Subhamitra’s vanishing act raises broader questions about the safety of women in uniform and the efficiency of internal probes. Her mother, Sukanti Sahoo, who first filed the missing person’s report on September 7, echoed the sentiment: “She’s our only hope—please bring her back.” The investigation remains ongoing, with hopes pinned on a breakthrough that could end this agonising wait.
