Lucknow family holds thief captive for two days

LUCKNOW - A man was caught and tied with chains in a dingy place here for two days by a family from whose house he had allegedly stolen three tractor trolleys but was caught on a second attempt to burgle, police said Friday.

A police official said action would be taken against the family of Kamal Ojha of Qaiserbagh who didn’t inform police about the burglary but held the accused, Mukul Raj, captive.

The Ojha family alleged that Raj in an earlier attempt stolen their three tractor trolleys and was caught Wednesday night when he along with his other accomplices tried to barge in the house again.

Ojha has a several tractor-trolleys that he lends to people for carrying construction material.

“We know he (Raj) is the man behind lifting our trolleys. He has even confessed to his crime. We will not set him free unless we get back out three tractor trolleys,” Ojha’s wife Shanti Devi told reporters.

Asked why the family did not approach police, Devi replied, “We know very well how to get back our trolleys.”

Station house officer of Qaiserbagh R.K. Shukla told IANS: “It’s a serious issue. If the man is a thief he has to be punished as per the provisions of the law. No one can take law in his hands. We have come to know about the case from local reporters.

“Action would also be taken against the family for talking law in their hands,” he said.