Disappearance of Odia navy officer shrouded in mystery

Family suspects kidnapping as search continues after officer's phone goes silent following train journey
Saurabh Kumar Patra
Saurabh Kumar Patra
Updated on
2 min read

BERHAMPUR: A young officer of the Indian Navy has reportedly gone missing under mysterious circumstances after he left his home at Berhampur for Kochi Naval base on January 19.

The 25-year-old navy officer, identified as Saurabh Kumar Patra, is a resident of Gate Bazaar area in Berhampur.

Saurabh’s uncle Amulya Jena lodged a complaint with Berhampur Town police on Tuesday alleging that the navy officer boarded a train to Visakhapatnam from where he was supposed to catch a flight to Kochi to join his duty as an acting leading communicator at INS Garuda.

However, he did not reach his workplace at INS Garuda. While his mobile phone was switched off, the last recorded location from the device was Visakhapatnam. Worried family members reached out to their relatives at different places and even enquired at the Naval base at Kochi but could not trace Saurabh.

Saurabh’s younger brother Sagar said the navy officer was sent off by their mother and uncle at Berhampur railway station. “We enquired with the airport authorities at Vizag. But Saurabh did not check in.”

He urged police and Indian Navy authorities to intensify efforts to locate his brother.

The family apprehends that the navy officer might have been kidnapped. Saurabh joined the Indian Navy in 2019 and was at home on leave since December 28.

IIC of Berhampur Town police station Soubhagya Swain said, “After receiving the complaint, we sent the navy officer’s photographs to various police stations. During investigation, it was found that his mobile phone was switched off at Ichchapuram railway station.”

Police on Wednesday collected the footage of CCTV cameras at Ichchapuram railway station. The footage shows that Saurabh got down from the train and went outside the railway station.

A senior police officer said some documents of the navy officer have been recovered from Lanjipalli area of the city. Besides, the personal tablet of Saurabh was found at his home. The device and the documents are being examined.

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