Berhampur: For nearly two weeks, the family of Santosh Behera has been living in anguish. The 40-year-old labourer from Rengitipalli village under Purusottampur police station area in Ganjam district has not returned home after setting out on a train journey from Kerala.
Santosh last spoke to his family September 10 while travelling on the Kanniyakumari-Dibrugarh Vivek Superfast Express (22503). Since the following afternoon, his phone has remained unreachable, and he has not been heard from since. His disappearance has left his wife, Gayatri, and their family shattered.
“Someone please find my husband and bring him back,” Gayatri said, breaking down in tears. She has been running from office to office, pleading for help. The family has approached the District Collector, the district labour department, the Government Railway Police in Berhampur and local police, but they say there has been little progress.
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Santosh’s absence is especially devastating for the household. He was the only surviving son among four brothers and the sole breadwinner, supporting not just his wife and children but also his elderly mother and the families of his three deceased brothers. With limited work in the village, he had taken up labour in Kerala, sending money home that kept the large family afloat.
Villagers have joined in urging the Ganjam district administration and the Odisha government to take immediate steps to trace him.
PNN
