Police Hunt 16 Suspects After Violent Home Invasions in Ludhiana

Ludhiana police are on the hunt for 16 suspects accused of carrying out two violent home invasions within 14 hours in Ambedkar Nagar. The attackers, allegedly seeking revenge, vandalised two homes, smashed vehicles, and fired gunshots in an attempt to force the withdrawal of a police complaint.

According to investigators, the gang was targeting Harjinder Singh, pressuring him to retract a police report he had filed in May after being assaulted by the same group. The first attack occurred at 3:30 am on Tuesday, when the suspects targeted the home of Harjinder Singh's in-laws. Armed with knives and sticks, they struck the locked main gate, hurled abuses, and damaged neighbours' parked motorcycles before fleeing the scene.

The gang returned at 5:30 pm the same day, this time breaking into the marital home of Harjinder Singh's sister-in-law, Chetna. At the time, Chetna, her mother-in-law, and her five-month-old baby were inside. "The accused barged into our house and vandalised everything, from the wardrobe to the air-conditioner, furniture, appliances, and vehicles," Chetna recounted. The attackers also fired multiple gunshots before fleeing.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Dev Singh confirmed that the attacks were linked to extortion efforts over the pending criminal case. "The accused attacked these homes solely to pressure the family into dropping the charges," he stated.

A fresh case has been registered, and the 16 suspects have been charged under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including criminal intimidation, rioting, armed trespass, and violations of the Arms Act.