A 21-year-old woman was allegedly gang-raped by 9 to 10 men near Issewal village in Ludhiana district after she and her male friend were kidnapped from their car on Saturday night, the police said. A manhunt has been launched to nab the accused.

Superintendent of Police (investigations) Tarun Rattan said the victim and her male friend were going from Ludhiana towards Issewal village when their car was chased and intercepted by three motorbike-borne youth.

“They followed the car and hurled stones at it. As the car slowed down, they overpowered the occupants and took control of the vehicle. The attackers beat up the male friend and took him and the woman to a vacant plot where she was sexually assaulted,” said Mr. Tarun.

More join the crime

He said the bikers who had abducted the woman and her friend called six to seven more men at the crime spot and they too took turns to rape the victim.