A young man’s family in Lucknow’s Nigohan area has alleged that he was taken away by people associated with a mobile shop, made to give blood at a blood bank and then held captive at a house in the Sadar area, all due to a missed instalment for a mobile phone.
The family subsequently approached Nigohan police with a written complaint. They alleged that Naval was finally sent to the police station in a cab on the fifth day after police intervention, with the cab fare also allegedly being paid by his brother. The family further alleged that Naval appeared traumatised and distressed when he reached the police station. They claimed that when they sought action against those responsible, police personnel instead warned them that Naval could also be implicated if they pursued the matter, and sent him home.
Interestingly, police said their preliminary questioning brought out a different account of what happened. An FIR was registered late on Tuesday, the police confirmed in a statement and said that a team has been formed to arrest the accused.
He was then allegedly taken to a house in the Sadar area and kept there, where he was made to work. They further alleged that the accused called Naval’s elder brother and got ₹ 2,799 transferred online towards the phone instalment, before demanding another ₹ 12,000 for his release.
Naval told his family that the men took him to a blood bank in Lucknow, where his blood was extracted. Naval’s family approached DCP South Mohammad Mushtaq on Monday, alleging that he was also forced to work for several days while in captivity.
