Dacoits dressed only in undergarments pulled off a string of robberies in Mustafabad and Sithauli villages in Uttar Pradesh’s Budaun, holding families hostage and leaving several injured, police said on Thursday (May 21, 2026).
In the early hours of Wednesday (May 20, 2026), armed intruders scaled the wall of farmer Nizakat's house and held his family hostage.
When resisted, they assaulted the inmates, critically injuring six people, and decamped with four tolas of gold, three kilograms of silver, and ₹1.25 lakh in cash. The injured were referred to the district hospital.
According to the police, the robbers beat women also for keeping a chicken dish at home, and told them to eat only vegetables. The bandits then targeted four more houses in Sithauli, stealing ornaments and cash.
Local authorities swung into action only late in the night after Bareilly Range DIG Ajay Kumar Sahni visited the houses and ordered immediate action. Mr. Sahni said five teams had been deployed to investigate the robberies.