Jajpur/Jajpur Road: A 4-year-old girl who had been abducted from a fair in Thakurmunda area of Mayurbhanj district three days ago, was rescued safely from a house in Jajpur Road area Sunday morning by the police with the help of local transgender community leaders.
The police have arrested two persons – Lipu Nayak of Telkoi and Niranjan Raul of Ramchandrapur in Keonjhar district, who allegedly disguised themselves as transgender women to carry out the abduction. They have been booked under BNS Sections 137 (2) and 326 (2).
According to police, April 17 night, the child had visited the traditional Uda Parba festival in Thakurmunda with her mother, Sipi Patra, of Malatpada village under Karanjia police jurisdiction. Around 10pm, she reportedly wandered away and could not be located despite a frantic search. A formal missing person’s complaint was filed the next day at Thakurmunda police station, leading to the registration of a case (No. 38/2025).
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Given the sensitive nature of the case, a dedicated police team was formed. CCTV footage from various locations was reviewed, and a key lead emerged when a camera captured an individual dressed in transgender attire, boarding a bus with a child matching the victim’s description. Authorities soon made the footage public and appealed to citizens for assistance.
Further investigation led police to believe the abductors had taken the child to Jajpur Road. Acting on this lead, Thakurmunda police coordinated with members of Palalahada-based transgender community, who in turn reached out to the Jajpur Road Transgender Association. Inspector-in-Charge Sabitri Dalai worked closely with the association’s president, Kajal Nayak, and secretary, Lovely Sahu, to trace the child.
Their collaborative efforts led to the discovery of the girl in Ward No. 8 of Kachhudi Sahi, where she was found in an abandoned house in the custody of two men posing as trans women. The suspects, Lipu and Niranjan, were detained and questioned before being handed over to Thakurmunda police for further legal action.
Speaking to reporters, Kajal Nayak expressed concern over such impostors tarnishing the reputation of the transgender community. She urged authorities to take stringent action against those who commit crime under false pretences.
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Nevertheless, the case has triggered widespread debate in the region, recalling a similar incident in Bhubaneswar where a one-and-a-half-year-old was abducted from the arms of a visually impaired mother outside Ram Mandir, only to be rescued later.
Meanwhile, police are investigating the motive behind the abduction and the possible existence of a larger child-lifting network in the area.
PNN
