In a meticulous five-day operation reminiscent of a crime thriller, the Lucknow Police successfully traced and recovered a stolen Iranian-bred religious horse, deeply revered by the Shia community. The horse, named Zuljana but popularly known as Duldul, was stolen from the Talkatora Karbala in Lucknow and was found in Maurawan village, Unnao, on Monday.
The Elaborate CCTV Investigation
The breakthrough came after police personnel undertook the daunting task of scanning footage from a staggering 1,500 CCTV cameras installed across the city. Deputy Commissioner of Police (West Zone) Vishwajeet Srivastava explained that the footage revealed a man discreetly leading the horse away, walking closely behind it to avoid clear identification. The suspect appeared to load the animal into a waiting vehicle.
"Scrutiny of mobile numbers active in the area during the time of the theft, combined with the CCTV analysis, led us to the primary suspect," stated DCP Srivastava. A dedicated police team was formed to follow the digital trail, which eventually pointed them towards Unnao district.
Arrest and Recovery
The investigation led to the arrest of Chhotu Verma, a 25-year-old former caretaker of the Karbala stables. His brother-in-law, Firoz alias Bhaiyya, who allegedly assisted in the crime, is currently absconding. Police teams tracked a white horse in Unnao and, upon local enquiry, discovered it had been brought by Verma.
While one team detained Chhotu Verma from his home in Lucknow's Para area, another traced the buyer in Unnao. "During interrogation, Chhotu confessed to stealing the horse and selling it to a horse trader in Unnao for Rs 1.5 lakh," the DCP said. Acting on this information, police teams reached Maurawan village in the early hours of Monday and successfully recovered Duldul.
Community Relief and Reward
The owner of Duldul, Syed Faizi, the former mutawalli (custodian) of Karbala, had announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for information leading to the horse's recovery. This reward will now be given to the police team for their efforts. The safe return of Duldul was celebrated with special prayers at the Karbala.
Gama, the horse's caretaker, expressed profound relief, stating that Duldul was raised "like a child." He emotionally added, "Seeing it again feels like life has returned." After completing all necessary legal formalities, the police formally handed over the revered horse to Syed Faizi, bringing the intense search to a close.
