A special police team from Odisha has reached Visakhapatnam to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a 32-year-old security guard who went missing while on official duty earlier this month. The case has triggered a cross-state search operation focusing on the port city.
Details of the Disappearance
The missing individual is Jitendra Sahu, a resident of Deogarh district, employed as a security guard at IMFA in Choudwar, near Cuttack. His official task was to escort a convoy of three trucks laden with chromite from the industrial unit in Choudwar to the Visakhapatnam Port. The journey commenced on December 13 and the convoy successfully reached its destination on December 15.
Upon arrival in Visakhapatnam, Sahu contacted his family members to inform them of his safe journey. This was the last confirmed communication from him. Subsequently, his mobile phone was switched off, prompting his family to raise an alarm.
Police Investigation Underway
Following a formal complaint, the Choudwar police station registered a missing person case. A dedicated police team is now actively investigating in Visakhapatnam. Assistant Commissioner of Police Arun Kumar Swain provided details of the ongoing search.
"We have already circulated his photographs among Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel and are in constant touch with local officials, including hospitals," stated ACP Swain.
The investigation has revealed that Sahu was last visually confirmed at the Visakhapatnam railway station. CCTV footage obtained by the police shows him moving out of the station premises, after which his trail goes cold.
Reconstructing the Final Movements
The special team is employing a multi-pronged approach to trace Sahu's last known activities. Key steps in the investigation include:
- Scrutinising hours of CCTV footage from the port area, the railway station, and nearby locations.
- Questioning the truck drivers and other associated staff who were part of the consignment mission to reconstruct a timeline of events.
- Coordinating with local Visakhapatnam authorities and checking hospitals for any unidentified admissions.
The police are treating the case with urgency, exploring all possible angles behind the sudden disappearance of the security guard after he had successfully completed his primary duty of escorting the trucks to the port.
