Woman gangraped during robbery at factory in Ludhiana

The robbers barged into the factory after scaling the compound wall and overpowered the workers who live inside the factory.

A 34-year-old woman was allegedly gangraped on Tuesday night following an armed robbery at Mangli village of Focal Point in Ludhiana.

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Twelve armed robbers targeted the metal factory at Mangli village and took away metal worth ₹10 lakh, police said.

Narinder Singh, factory owner, told police that workers informed him about the robbery following which he alerted the police. “The workers told me that they were sleeping when robbers barged into the factory after scaling the compound wall and overpowered them. They held them captive and tied their hands and legs with rope,” Narinder said.

He alleged that workers told him that a woman was raped by six robbers while others held her husband captive.

He added that the workers live inside the factory. “Two women locked themselves in the room to save themselves from the robbers who remained in the factory for an hour,” Narinder said.

On receiving the compliant, the Focal Point police registered a case under sections 392 (punishment for robbery), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 120-B (punishment for criminal conspiracy), 376-D (gang rape) of the Indian Penal Code against unidentified 12 robbers and initiated investigation.

The SHO said police launched a manhunt for the arrest of the accused and were scanning CCTVs in the area to ascertain their identity.