The one-and-a-half-year-old baby kidnapped in front of Ram Mandir in Bhubaneswar on Sunday was rescued from Balasore on Tuesday morning.

The Commissionerate (Bhubaneswar-Cuttack) police apprehended the mastermind, Kedarsan Panda, from Puri.

On Sunday, a visually impaired mother, Jayanti Mallick, complained to the police that her one-and-a-half-year-old son was kidnapped while she was sleeping in front of the Ram Mandir along with her six-year-old daughter and son.

Following the complaint, police formed several teams to rescue the child. The police in a release said: “Due to rain on April 12, she could not return to Kanyashrama and slept in front of the temple along with her daughter and her son. The accused Kedarsan Panda reached there and played with the children to gain confidence of the mother and her children.

Subsequently, as per his plan, he kidnapped the male child and reached Bhubaneswar railway station. Thereafter, he travelled with the child by train to reach Balasore railway station.”

After she could not trace her son, the mother reported to the police station.

Following the report, the police used human intelligence, technical intelligence, smart city camera surveillance, mobile forensics and examination of concerned persons to solve the case. Police also took the assistance of the Railway Police Force (RPF), Bengal police, Balasore and Bhadrak police. “Locations of the suspects were ascertained.

Simultaneously, raids were conducted by different teams at all possible locations. The child was rescued in the Khantapada police station area in Balasore district. The kidnapper was apprehended from Puri,” the release said.