The Sarabha Nagar police have registered a case against eight unidentified persons nearly three months after a shopkeeper and his relative were allegedly kidnapped, trapped inside vehicles, and severely beaten at a farmhouse by men posing as police officers.
The attackers falsely claimed to be police officials assigned to the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) staff of the Ludhiana Police Commissionerate. The victims were targeted after the imposters suspected them of having connections to fraudsters running a roadside gambling racket.
The complainant, Mohammad Sabar Khan, a resident near Basant City on Pakhowal Road, stated that his maternal uncle, Tajuddin, runs a tea and cigarette cart on a service lane near Rajguru Nagar cut.
According to the complaint, the incident took place on February 21 when a group of fraudsters was allegedly operating a “stagger game” near the cart and trapped a passerby into gambling. The conmen reportedly fled after taking away the victim’s cash and gold ring.
After the accused escaped, the victim allegedly suspected Tajuddin of being involved with the fraudsters because his cart was located nearby.
Police said the victim then called several of his associates on the spot, following which Tajuddin was allegedly assaulted and forced into a car.
{{/usCountry}}Police said the victim then called several of his associates on the spot, following which Tajuddin was allegedly assaulted and forced into a car.
{{/usCountry}}Sabar alleged that when he reached the spot after receiving information, the accused were allegedly putting his uncle into the trunk of a vehicle.
“When I questioned them, they forcibly took me away in another car,” the complainant alleged.
According to Sabar, he managed to share his live location with relatives before the accused seized control of the situation.
The complainant alleged that claiming to be cops, the accused told them they were being taken to CIA staff for questioning. However, instead of taking them to a police station, the accused allegedly took both men to a farmhouse at Kheri Jhameri village where they were assaulted.
Acting on the live location, relatives and locals reportedly reached the farmhouse and rescued the victims.
The complainant alleged that despite repeated complaints since February, police delayed action on the pretext of verification and identification of the accused.
Inspector Vijay Chaudhary, SHO at Sarabha Nagar Police Station, stated that the FIR has been lodged following an investigation. The accused have been booked under sections 140 (3) (kidnapping or abducting a person with the intent to secretly and wrongfully confine them), 127 (2) (wrongful confinement), 115 (2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 351 (3) (aggravated criminal intimidation) and 190 ( Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) of the BNS. The police are trying to identify the accused.