Rajasthan burglary attempt fails after thief gets stuck in exhaust fan opening. Watch

Investigators said that noise from the incident alerted others in the area, following which one of the accused’s associates fled the location.

A man accused of attempting a burglary in Rajasthan’s Kota district was taken into police custody after he became stuck inside the exhaust fan shaft of a residential kitchen during the alleged break-in, officials said.

The incident took place at the residence of Subhash Kumar Rawat while he was away travelling to Khatu Shyam on January 3. According to the information available, Rawat’s wife returned to the house in the early hours of the following day and unlocked the main gate at around 1 am.

As the gate was opened, the kitchen area became visible due to the headlights of a scooter parked outside the premises. At that point, the family noticed a man trapped midway inside the kitchen’s exhaust fan opening, with part of his body inside the house and the remaining portion stuck outside.

Police officials stated that the accused had entered the property with the intention of committing theft. While attempting to gain access through the exhaust fan shaft, he became lodged inside the narrow space and was unable to extricate himself.

A video showing the man stuck in the exhaust opening later surfaced on social media and circulated widely.

In Rajasthan's Kota, a family returned from Khatu Shyam Ji darshan to find a thief stuck in the exhaust fan hole! They called police to pull him out. pic.twitter.com/mwNcxjD2AF

— Ghar Ke Kalesh (@gharkekalesh) January 6, 2026

Investigators said that noise from the incident alerted others in the area, following which one of the accused’s associates fled the location, leaving him behind. The situation continued for nearly an hour as local residents gathered at the spot and tried to understand what had occurred.

Sources further indicated that the accused had arrived at the location in a car fitted with a police sticker, allegedly to avoid attracting suspicion while entering the neighbourhood.

Police personnel subsequently reached the house, carried out a rescue operation to remove the man from the exhaust shaft, and placed him under arrest. He was then taken into custody for further questioning.

Authorities said an investigation was underway to identify and locate the accomplice who escaped from the scene. Police also examined whether the accused had any involvement in other theft cases reported in the surrounding areas.