A teenager who fled from his home fearing scoldings from his father over failing his college exam was traced to a bar in the city and taken into custody. He was later reunited with his parents. The teenager had stolen '3 lakh from his house and sources said he spent most of the money on the dancers and female singers in bars.
According to officials, the 17-year-old youngster was studying in a city-based college and had been forced by his parents to pursue science, which he resented. A bright student, he had scored good marks in his board exams but after being enrolled in the science stream he started performing poorly. After he failed his Class XI exams, his father allegedly scolded him and asked him to get his act together.
On April 29, the boy stole the cash and gold earrings that belonged to his mother and left his house in Wadala. When he did not return home, the parents registered a kidnapping case on May 1.
The police said he had been in touch with one of his friends who kept him abreast of the home situation. “He stayed in various lodges in the city and always gave a fake name to avoid being identified. He also visited different orchestra bars and was very clever in covering his tracks wherever he went,” said a crime branch official. The officer said in two weeks the boy spent over Rs 2.80 lakh from the stolen money on alcohol and as tips for the performers.
After interrogating his friends, officials got a tip from the friend with whom he had been in touch. A team headed by senior inspector Vinayak Mer and officers Lakshmikant Salunke and Sanjay Patil traced him to a bar in DB Marg and took him into custody on Monday.
