Man arrested for stealing pups

Gold prices have hit the ceiling but for some the lure of the yellow metal isn’t enough. In North Delhi, a 20-year-old youth has been arrested for allegedly stealing a pug and her four puppies. The police said the combined price of the canines is around Rs 1.5 lakh.

Gold prices have hit the ceiling but for some the lure of the yellow metal isn’t enough.

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In North Delhi, a 20-year-old youth has been arrested for allegedly stealing a pug and her four puppies. The police said the combined price of the canines is around Rs 1.5 lakh.

After they were featured in many Vodafone advertisements, pugs had become a hot favourite of dog lovers as well as of those who want to flaunt them.

The police said earlier a pug would cost around Rs 4,000 but now a pug could cost anything between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000.

The police arrested Amit Khanna who had also stolen Rs 50,000 and a laptop from his possession, which he stole from the dog owner's house.

Khanna, a resident of Anand Vihar, was sent to judicial custody on Tuesday.

The police said Khanna was engaged to a girl staying in Kamla Nagar and used to visit her often.

“He came to know of family in Kamla Nagar who owned a number pups of this breed,” said a senior police officer on the condition of anonymity.

The dogs belong to Om Singh Negi, an official at GB Pant Hospital.

Police said Khanna called Negi and showed interest in buying a pup. He then visited Negi’s house in his fiancée’s car.

“After that he did a recce of the area and found that between 9:30 am and 1:00 pm no one is at home. He then took the car again and broke into the house,” added the officer.

The police said investigations revealed that a car was outside the house and the police managed to zero in on Khanna.