VOI World/ Astha Pandey
In a chilling viral video now circulating online, Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of Sudan’s feared paramilitary faction, are seen surrounding an Indian national, a 36-year-old Adarsh Behera, who was roaming around and casually asking people, “Do you know Shah Rukh Khan?” Behind this viral moment lies a harsh truth, as war-like situations rage in a country, ordinary citizens of the world become pawns in those geopolitical conflicts, they neither choose nor understand.
Adarsh is an engineer hailing from Odisha, set out for Sudan in search of better opportunities, he never imagined his name would make global headlines, not for his innovation, but for abduction.
This incident almost seemed absurd in its lightness, which stands in reality as a man caught in the heart of one of Africa’s bloodiest wars. The RSF, which is an integral part of Sudan’s army, has since taken control of key territories, including El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, as confirmed by the United Nations this week.
Amidst the chaos around law and order situations, looting and ransom-based abductions have surged. Similarly, Behera was abducted from a factory in the Darfur region joining thousands of civilians and foreigners who got caught between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) rivals in a brutal power struggle that goes back since it erupted in April 2023.
In Sudan, what began as a dispute over military integration spiraled into full-blown civil war, turning its capital Khartoum and Darfur into active warzones. Entire cities have been flattened, over 10 million people displaced, and humanitarian aid routes have been cut off.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confirmed that it is in close contact with both Sudanese authorities and international partners. The Indian Embassy, now operating out of Port Sudan, is working to ensure Behera’s safe release.
The Sudanese Ambassador to India, Abdalla Omer Bashir Elhusain, told reporters that “the situation is unpredictable, but every effort is being made.”
India had earlier evacuated over 3,800 nationals under Operation Kaveri (2023), a large-scale rescue mission conducted via Saudi Arabia when the conflict first erupted. Behera’s case, however, underscores that despite repeated warnings, several Indian workers remain in Sudan often bound by financial obligations or employer contracts.
