Lko man held captive over mobile instalment, forced to give blood and work

Family alleges collection agents took youth to a blood bank, made him undergo blood extraction and later held him at a house; ₹2,799 paid online, ₹12,000 more demanded

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.

Naval (HT Photo)

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.

Additional DCP, South Zone, Vasant Kumar Rallapali, said that an FIR under sections 143 (3) (trafficking of person), 146 (unlawful labour), 127 (3) (wrongful confinement), 115 (2) (causing hurt ) of the BNS has been registered against one unidentified person and one Shubham Singh.

Naval’s family approached DCP South Mohammad Mushtaq on Monday, alleging that he was also forced to work for several days while in captivity. 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.

The accused allegedly threatened to kill Naval and throw his body into the Gomti if the additional money was not paid.

According to Naval’s mother, Jadoorai, her younger son had bought a mobile phone from Geeta Mobile Shop in Nigohan town around a year ago under a zero-down-payment scheme. After an instalment remained unpaid, some people allegedly came to their house and took away the phone on September 8.

She alleged that on September 13, two men arrived in their village on a scooter and took Naval with them.

Naval told his family that the men took him to a blood bank in Lucknow, where his blood was extracted. He was then allegedly taken to a house in the Sadar area and kept there, where he was made to work.

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.

DCP South Mohammad Mushtaq said the complaint had been taken seriously and the Nigohan station house officer had been directed to immediately register a case and arrest the accused.

Interestingly, police said their preliminary questioning brought out a different account of what happened.

According to investigators, the opposing party had allegedly arranged work for Naval at his own request so that he could arrange money to pay the pending instalment.

Officials are also verifying the location in the Sadar area where the youth allegedly stayed.