Ludhiana: Factory worker, aide rape 35-year-old woman

The accused promised the woman, who is living separately from her husband, of marriage and took her to a hotel room in Ludhiana

A factory worker and his aide allegedly gang-raped the former’s 35-year-old co-worker.

The woman, a resident of Muslim Colony, said she was living separately from her husband following a dispute (HT File)

The accused promised the woman, who is living separately from her husband, of marriage and took her to a hotel room. According to the woman, the accused also recorded lewd videos of her. 

The accused were identified as Kuldeep and Mani alias Raman. According to the police, a first-information report (FIR) was registered following the orders of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). Although the woman entered into a “compromise” with the accused after filing a complaint, the NHRC refused the settlement and ordered the police to act. 

The woman, a resident of Muslim Colony, said she was living separately from her husband following a dispute. She worked at a factory located on Metro Road and Kuldeep there. She befriended the accused. 

The woman claimed that accused Kuldeep promised to marry her.  She alleged that on May 27, the accused, along with his aide Mani, took her to a hotel room on a bike. The accused removed her clothes and recorded a lewd video of her, she alleged.

According to the complaint, the accused gang-raped the woman and locked her in the room, and kept the keys with them. On the next day, she managed to steal the keys and fled after unlocking the room. Later, she filed a complaint with the police. 

Sub-inspector Janakraj, who is investigating the case, said that after filing a complaint with the police, the woman, with the help of a social activist, sent complaints to the NHRC as well. Meanwhile, she came to a compromise with the accused. The woman moved an application that she didn’t want to pursue the complaint.  

The sub-inspector added that they have informed the NHRC about the settlement between the complainant and the accused. Sensing the sensitivity of the matter, the NHRC refused to accept the settlement and ordered the police to register an FIR. 

He added that an FIR under sections 376D (gang rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against the accused. A hunt is on for the arrest of the accused, he said.

The sub-inspector added that the complainant has moved to some other address and police are trying to trace her.