man tries to steal child in ludhiana

Every parent's worst nightmare almost came true for a family in Punjab's Ludhiana this week, as a man was caught trying to steal a toddler who was sleeping on the road with her family.

The incident reportedly occurred on September 17 when the family members were sleeping on cots outside their house in Ludhiana's Rishi Nagar. The incident was caught on a CCTV.

The video shows a man with a cart stopping by the family. He moves some items in his pushcart and places the sleeping child there. 

However, the man's plan was foiled when the child's mother awoke just in time. She beat him up and prevented the kidnapping. The man jumped on his cart and ran away while the woman raised an alarm and neighbours came out.

The locals managed the catch up to him and turned him over to the police. "The accused is nearly 40 years old. He first came near the home to check if the family was fast asleep. He then came back with his cart to kidnap the child. The mother woke up and the man was caught by locals," a police officer was quoted as saying by ANI.