UP: Police recover stolen jewellery, arrest two, detain minor in Deoria 'momo' case

Deoria (UP), Feb 3 (PTI) Police on Tuesday arrested two accused and apprehended a minor after a Class 7 student was allegedly coaxed into handing over jewellery from his home worth about Rs 85 lakh in exchange for momos, officials said.

Police have also recovered a substantial portion of the stolen jewellery, they said.

The accused have been identified as Rakesh, Leelawati and her minor son, all residents of Ward No 1 under Rampur Karkhana police station limits, they said.

Rakesh and the juvenile were running the momo stall, while Leelawati was also involved in the operation, the officials added.

The arrests were made near Dumri Tiraha following a tip-off, the police said.

On the basis of disclosures made during questioning, police recovered several gold and silver ornaments from the accused.

Items recovered from Rakesh's house included gold and silver anklets, toe rings, silver payal and other ornaments, while additional jewellery was recovered at the instance of Leelawati, some of which had been buried underground, the police said.

Police also recovered a gold ornament weighing 11.59 grams from a jeweller's shop, where it had allegedly been sold by the accused a few days earlier. The recovered items have been taken into police custody, and further legal proceedings are underway, the officials said.

Circle Officer Sunil Kumar Reddy said the case was registered on Monday on a complaint by Vimlesh Mishra, a resident of Bhagwanpur Tiwari village, whose son is a Class 7 student.

Mishra alleged that on January 25, his son, allegedly influenced by those running the momo stall and lured by money and food, handed over gold and silver jewellery from the house without informing family members.

The incident came to light when a family member later asked for her jewellery and found the cupboard empty. On being questioned, the boy revealed that he had given the ornaments to people operating a momo stall in the Rampur Karkhana area, police said.

According to the police, the boy had developed a habit of frequently eating momos. After his cash ran out, the stall operators allegedly persuaded him to bring jewellery from home in exchange for the snack. Over several days, he is said to have handed over gold and silver ornaments worth about Rs 85 lakh.

An FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and an investigation was launched.

The police said that with Tuesday's arrests and recovery, significant progress has been made in the case, and efforts are continuing to recover the remaining jewellery and identify anyone else involved. PTI COR KIS APL APL