Mangalore : Three teenage boys who had entered an unoccupied house at Babbukatte near Tokkottu on the night of August 27, Tuesday were caught hold of by public, thrashed and handed over to the police.

Some neighbours  on hearing some sound grew suspicious and informed  the house owner Jayanth Kotian who was away. The house had remained vacant for over two months. It is  learnt the boys namely Srinivasa(18), Mohammad (17) and Appu (18) who had entered the house through the window had remained there whole night.

They tried to break open pumps and steal it. But locals on gathering information thrashed them and handed them over to police. There was also a complaint that the police arrived late and also  were reluctant to take the three to custody