In Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, a youth faced a loss of ₹3 lakh on the Mahadev app. To overcome financial woes, he joined hands with co-conspirators to steal a tractor and sell it. The police apprehended the suspect and one accomplice on Thursday, while another managed to evade capture.

A complaint regarding the theft of a tractor near Shivala Purva was filed at Kotwali Thana on December 30 by Akash Kumar Verma, a resident of Daravapur. During investigations, the police detained Abhishek Verma from Madarpur in Asandra Thana and Manish Verma from Chulapahi reported Navbharat Times.

During Thursday’s interrogation, Manish admitted to the crime and revealed that he holds an electrical engineering degree. He expressed a keen interest in online gaming and had received ₹3 lakh from his father to purchase paddy. Unfortunately, he lost the entire amount while playing games on the Mahadev app.

In desperation, Manish, along with accomplices Abhishek Verma and Mohit Verma, stole a tractor to sell it and recover the lost money. However, their attempt to sell the tractor was thwarted by the police, who seized firearms, cartridges, and two mobile phones from the suspects.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Akhilesh Narayan Singh disclosed that Mohit, the mastermind behind the theft, managed to avoid capture. Mohit faces charges related to theft and cheating at the Ram Sanehighat Thana. Mohit had previously purchased a tractor on loan from a bank in the Ram Sanehighat area. Following the purchase, he sold the tractor, leading to legal action and charges of cheating and misappropriation by the bank management.

The police are yet to locate and apprehend the remaining fugitive, Mohit, as the investigation continues.