Odia migrant worker abducted, tortured in Bengaluru; family seeks help to rescue him

An Odia migrant worker from the tribal-dominated district of Kandhamal has allegedly been held hostage and subjected to inhuman torture to extort ransom money by a group of people in Bengaluru. Allegations in this regard were levied by family members of the victim Bhakta Charan Nayak.

Sources reported that a few weeks ago Nayak had left his village of Dimiriguda in the Phiringia block of Kandhamal and travelled to work in Bengaluru. However, recently an unidentified criminal gang contacted his family and shared video clips of Nayak being subjected to severe physical abuse, demanding ransom in return for his release.

Family members of the victim have alleged that the criminals also made various video calls, all of which featured brutal abuse being inflicted on Nayak. Further, they also claimed to have paid more than Rs 1.6 lakh to the kidnappers so far.

“The miscreants have been making repeated video calls showing my son being tortured. They have said that if I want him to be safe and be released then I must pay them further. I have already sold off my farms and have no more money,” alleged Mukta Mallik, mother of Bhakta Charan Nayak.

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In desperation, the family approached Kandhamal SP and the District Labor Officer, seeking intervention for Nayak’s rescue. While neither the SP nor the Phiringia police have given an official response so far, the District Labor Officer has confirmed that efforts to rescue him have begun.

“We have noted the allegations and the role of a middleman from Baliguda has come to the fore. As of now, the priority is to rescue Nayak and all steps are being carried out to ensure the same,” added Kandhamal District Labor Officer Biswaranjan Kahanra.