In a harrowing incident that unfolded in the rural outskirts of Kanpur, an elderly farmer was held hostage and robbed of his precious livestock. The attack took place on Saturday night in Tiwaripur village, falling under the jurisdiction of the Maharajpur police station.
A Night of Terror in the Fields
Shiv Narayan, also known as Baba, was staying in his agricultural fields when he was ambushed by a group of 4-5 unidentified assailants. The miscreants, in a brutal display of force, tied the elderly man using his own muffler. They then showed him a pistol and subjected him to physical beatings before tying him securely to a cot.
Their primary target was the farmer's four buffaloes. As they began leading the animals away towards the nearby forest department area, approximately 200 meters from the spot, Shiv Narayan managed to raise a loud alarm. His cries for help pierced the night air.
Villagers Rally, But Thieves Escape
Hearing the distress calls, the farmer's brother, Mangal, who was on guard duty at a nearby water tank, rushed to the scene. He quickly freed Shiv Narayan and alerted other villagers. As the community began to gather in response to the commotion, the thieves were forced to flee. However, they managed to escape with two of the four buffaloes.
Police from Dial 112 were immediately informed and reached the spot. They conducted extensive searches throughout the night but initially found no trace of the criminals or the missing animals.
Partial Recovery and Suspicious Youths
The search continued with the help of determined villagers. After about three hours, they combed the forest department area. There, they discovered two of the buffaloes with their legs tied up. Unfortunately, the other two buffaloes remain missing.
During the investigation, the farmer provided a crucial lead. He revealed that a day before the incident, two youths from the neighbouring Suhaila village had approached him under a false pretext. They had even talked about forcibly making him consume liquor. Shiv Narayan identified these same individuals as being among the group that attacked him at night.
Acting on this information, the vigilant villagers located and apprehended the two suspicious youths. They were subsequently handed over to the police for questioning.
Rajesh Kumar, the in-charge of Maharajpur police station, confirmed the developments. He stated that the suspects named by the farmer had been picked up and were undergoing interrogation. The police official assured that a formal case would be registered based on the farmer's complaint and the ongoing investigation, leading to appropriate legal action.
