Patna, Oct 19 : Three people, including a woman, have been arrested for holding a 10-year-old maidservant hostage along with her parents in this Bihar capital, police said Monday.

Pooja and her parents were held hostage Friday and Saturday by Anita Devi and her two sons on charges of stealing cash and gold ornaments worth Rs. 2 lakh.

Anita Devi, Abhishek and Amit were arrested from their residence in Goriyatoli locality here after a complaint was lodged against them Sunday.

Anita Soren, mother of Pooja, in her complaint said Anita Devi and her two sons forcibly held her daughter hostage at their residence on charge of theft.

"I and my husband managed to escape from illegal confinement and complained to police," Soren said.

She said Anita Devi poured boiling water on her husband's body after he protested.

Officer in charge of Kotwali police station Mundrika Prasad Singh said that police have begun investigating the case. Police admitted that the maidservant and her parents were beaten and tortured. (IANS)