Khordha, April 9: In a startling development in the alleged kidnapping of a four-month-old baby boy from Nirakarpur railway station, the child’s father—who had lodged the complaint—has been identified as the main accused in the case.

According to Railway Police, the infant has been safely rescued from Kalamatia village under Ranpur police limits in Nayagarh district, which is the ancestral home of the accused.

The incident was reported on Tuesday night when the baby was allegedly stolen from the railway station platform while he was sleeping with his parents. Acting on the complaint, Nirakarpur Railway Police launched an investigation.

During the probe, police uncovered that the father had himself orchestrated the kidnapping. He allegedly abducted the child and later handed him over to his first wife late at night.

Police sources further revealed that the accused, Prashant Kumar Pradhan, was already married but had been living with his second partner, his sister-in-law, and the child was born from that relationship.

A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the motive behind the staged abduction.