Boy held captive, tortured by employees for stealing money

A nine-year-old boy was held captive and tortured by his employers for allegedly stealing Rs 700 from the cash box of a shop in the Indira Nagar area here in lucknow, the police said on Thursday

A nine-year-old boy was held captive and tortured by his employers for allegedly stealing Rs 700 from the cash box of a shop in the Indira Nagar area in lucknow, the police said on Thursday.

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Mohit Kumar Bajpai was held captive for two days and tortured by his employers Raju and Ajay. The boy works at a juice shop whose owners alleged that the boy stole Rs 700 from their shop. The boy was rescued by the police on Tuesday night after they raided the shop on a tip off by some locals said the police.

Mohit was found tied with ropes behind the shop at the time of the raid, a senior officer said. The boy had sustained severe injuries on his back and face and his medical examination confirmed that he sustained a minimum of 10 wounds on his back, face and hands, he added.

"A case had been lodged under various sections of the IPC for illegal confinement and physical torture, besides Child Labour Act against the two employers," the officer. Raju was arrested on Wednesday.

Mohit, who has been working at the shop for the last two years, told the police that Raju and Ajay used to beat him with belt after tying him up. The duo had also rubbed salt on his wounds and were told him to accept the crime and return the amount.

The Labour department has been informed, so that they may take further actions against the accused, he said. Mohit's family had also been informed in Bahraich and they have been asked to take him home.