1 more arrested in Ludhiana gangrape case

Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, February 13

The Jagraon police today arrested one more accused — Surmo of Khanpur village in Ludhiana — in connection with the gangrape of a 20-year-old girl in Ludhiana on Saturday night. Two accused were arrested yesterday.

The police believe all those arrested might also be involved in other criminal incidents that have taken place in the area during the past. “After the incident, Surmo had escaped to Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir and stayed there for two days. We had sent teams to Kathua to nab him but he was arrested near Chak Kalan village while he was returning,” said DIG Ranbir Singh Khattra. All the three accused were produced before a local court, which remanded them to seven-day police custody.

The court was jampacked with lawyers and representatives of various social outfits. No lawyer was present to represent the accused as it was decided not to fight their case. Judicial Magistrate Ankit Airi instructed the police to get proper identification of the accused done. The activists of Youth Akali Dal hurled shoes at the accused when the police were taking the accused back after producing them before the court. According to the police, Jagroop Singh, who was arrested yesterday, is the kingpin of the gang. “The possibility of their involvement in other criminal activities cannot be ruled out. It was not a one-off crime by them as some of such incidents might have gone unreported for various reasons,” said Jagraon SSP VS Brar. He said the remaining accused would be arrested soon.