Kidnapped factory worker yet to be traced, police probe on

A factory worker from the Basaimi area of Ludhiana has gone missing after reportedly being kidnapped and attacked with sharp weapons by a group of men. The victim, identified as Sarwan Chauhan, had not been seen for more than a day, according to his employer.

The incident came to light after Chauhan’s wife, Meena Devi, filed a complaint, prompting the PAU police to register a case on Saturday. The main accused have been named as Arun and his son Ajay, along with six unidentified individuals. Meena Devi shared that their family originally hails from Uttar Pradesh, but had been living in Ludhiana for the past several years. Her husband had worked at Anoor Professor Factory in Basaimi for the past 35 years. Although the factory had mostly shutdown, its owner had kept two machines running just to ensure that Chauhan could continue earning livelihood for his family.

She believes that the attack stems from an earlier dispute. Two weeks ago, her teenage son had eloped with a local girl. Although the couple later returned and both families agreed to settle the matter peacefully, the girl recently went missing again. Her family allegedly suspected Meena Devi’s son of helping her escape once more. Fearing for his safety, the family had sent him to Delhi for work.

According to Meena, this grudge led Arun (girl’s brother), his father Ajay, and six others to storm the factory. She claims they assaulted her husband with weapons, dragged him outside, and forced him sit on a motorcycle before fleeing. In the chaos, she too suffered a serious leg injury.

Investigating Officer ASI Sukhbeg Singh, who is leading the investigation, confirmed that there’s still no trace of Sarwan Chauhan. He said a search was in progress and the police were working to crack the case. A formal FIR was registered against the named accused under multiple legal sections, and the police were trying to locate them, the ASI said. The factory owner also alleged that a local political figure may be involved in the incident.