Second theft at Lucknow ACP's house in 5 months; burglars escape with cash, other valuables

After returning from duty on Sunday, Ranjit Kumar found the main room open. A search revealed that burglars had broken into the ground-floor portion.

Burglars struck a house occupied by an assistant commissioner of police (ACP) in Lucknow’s Rajajipuram, escaping with cash and valuables from the ground floor while the senior police officer lived upstairs.

SHO, Bazaarkhala, Kuldeep Dubey, said police were informed about the theft by the engineer’s family, but no written complaint had been submitted till Sunday evening. (HT Photo/Representational)

The break-in, just 200 metres from a police outpost and the second burglary at the property in five months, was discovered after the ACP returned from duty on Sunday.

The incident took place under the Talkatora police station limits at the residence of engineer Sudhanshu, whose brother is an IAS officer. ACP (Bazarkhala) Ranjit Kumar had shifted to the first-floor portion of the house with his family around 20 days ago.

According to police, the ACP’s family had left for their ancestral home a few days earlier, leaving the premises locked. After returning from duty on Sunday, Ranjit Kumar found the main room open. A search revealed that burglars had broken into the ground-floor portion, forced open an almirah locker and fled with cash and valuables. The value of the stolen property is yet to be ascertained.

Police teams reached the spot soon after receiving information and launched an investigation. Officers are scanning CCTV footage from the surrounding area after a few suspicious individuals were reportedly spotted near the locality.

SHO, Bazaarkhala, Kuldeep Dubey, said police were informed about the theft by the engineer’s family, but no written complaint had been submitted till Sunday evening.

The latest incident has also brought focus back to an earlier burglary at the same property. On March 25, unidentified burglars allegedly decamped with jewellery, ₹50,000 in cash and other valuables from the house. That case remains unsolved, with police yet to trace the accused.