An Indian man has been kidnapped in Sudan by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group locked in a violent power struggle with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) since 2023. The ongoing conflict has devastated the country, displacing more than 13 million people and leaving the capital, Khartoum, in ruins.
The abducted Indian has been identified as 36-year-old Adarsh Behera from Jagatsinghpur district in Odisha. According to NDTV, a video shows Behera seated between two RSF soldiers, one of whom can be heard asking, “Do you know Shah Rukh Khan?” Another soldier instructs him to say, “Dagalo good,” referring to Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as “Hemeti,” the powerful leader of the RSF.
According to reports, Behera was kidnapped from Al Fashir, around 1,000 km from Khartoum, and is believed to have been taken to Nyala, the RSF’s stronghold in South Darfur. Behera had been working in Sudan since 2022 at Sukarati Plastic Factory. His wife, Susmita, told NDTV that he is the father of two young sons, aged eight and three.
In a separate video sent by his family, Behera appears visibly distressed, sitting on the floor with folded hands, pleading for help. “I am here in Al Fashir where the situation is very bad. My family and children are very worried. I request the Odisha government to help me,” he said.
The RSF recently captured Al Fashir after an 18-month siege, prompting the International Criminal Court to warn that its actions may constitute war crimes following reports of mass killings and sexual violence.
Meanwhile, heavy fighting continues across Sudan. The SAF recently regained control of the presidential palace in Khartoum but suffered casualties in an RSF drone strike. In North Darfur, over 100 RSF fighters were reportedly killed in clashes with the Darfur Joint Protection Force.
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
