Lucknow: Owners busy in Holi, thieves flee with cash

LUCKNOW: Burglars targeted four houses in Gudamba and Jankipuram during Holi celebrations on Wednesday and Thursday and made away with cash and jewellery worth lakhs.
Police said two houses were targetted in Gudamba and one in Jankipuram. Also, a theft attempt was reported at a residence in Gudamba.
Police said burglars broke into the house of a retired judge's daughter in Gudamba's Phoolbagh colony and made away with cash and jewellery worth lakhs.The complainant, Shabnam Kamran, daughter of a retired district judge, along with her husband Mohammad Kamran had gone to Nainital on March 19.
According to the police, the incident occurred in the late hours of Wednesday when there was nobody in the house. The incident came to light on Thursday when her neighbours after seeing the lock of main gate broken informed Shabnam about the incident. SHO Gudamba Ravindra Rai said burglars made away with cash and jewellery worth lakhs from the house. "A hunt for the burglars is on," he added.
In another incident reported from the same colony, the complainant, Niyaz Ahmed, along with his family had gone to a relative's place in Kanpur on Wednesday. When he returned on Thursday morning, he was shocked to see cash and jewellery stolen from his residence.
SHO Gudamba said that burglars made away with cash worth Rs 38,000 and jewellery worth Rs 70,000 from his house. Burglars also attempted a theft in another house of the locality, but fled after the family members raised an alarm. "Burglars targeted the house of my neighbour Meraj also, but fled after his family raised an alarm," said Niyaz.
In Jankipuram Gardens, burglars targeted the house of a doctor and made away with cash and jewellery in the wee hours of Wednesday. The incident occurred when the complainant, Ashvani Kumar Yadav, along with his family had gone to Gonda. SHO Jankipuram Mohammad Ashraf said that burglars made away with cash Rs 12,000 and jewellery from the house. "When the complainant returned to his house, he saw the locks of the almirah broken and belongings strewn all over the room," he added.
ASP Trans-Gomti Amit Kumar said, "We have got some lead about the gangs active in the area. Burglars took the advantage of the fact that the police force was were busy in Holi duties."