Family held hostage, looted as robbers use chilli smoke to break into home in UP

A family of eight, including six children, was held hostage for nearly two hours by a gang of nearly six armed men who broke into their house in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad around midnight on Monday. The accused allegedly used chilli smoke to force the family out and then robbed them of jewellery, cash and other valuables.The incident happened in Kalchhina village in Ghaziabad's Bhojpur area. The family claimed that the men first set fire to chillies wrapped in a cloth outside the house. The smoke entered the house, causing severe irritation to the family members' eyes and making it difficult for them to breathe.The children, unable to understand what was happening, told their mother that the house was on fire. When their mother, identified as Afrozi, opened the door, the accused allegedly forced their way inside.The family comprises Afrozi, his husband Sadd and their six children. They were all sleeping in a room when the incident happened. The family alleged that the men surrounded them and tied Sadd's hands before attacking the couple. Afrozi told police that one of the accused attacked her with a sharp-edged weapon, injuring her hand when she tried to defend herself.Then, the accused asked the family about cash and silver kept in the house. According to Afrozi, the men claimed they had information that the family had 10 kg of silver and Rs 5 lakh in cash at home. When they denied having such cash or jewellery at home, the accused ransacked the house.Afrozi further claimed that the robbers took her earrings, rings and bangles, along with jewellery kept for her daughter's wedding.Following the incident, police went to the house and took statements from the family. Police also inspected the scene and are examining CCTV footage from cameras installed in the surrounding area to identify the suspects.Senior police officer Siddharth Gautam said that an investigation into the case was underway.- EndsPublished On: Sep 15, 2026 14:42 IST