Drugged on moving bus: 48-year-old robbed of gold bangles by all-women gang in Punjab

Ludhiana: A 48-year-old woman was allegedly drugged and robbed of her gold bangles by a group of unidentified women while travelling on a bus near the Jalandhar bypass on Thursday afternoon.

The victim, identified as Minakshi, a resident of Garhshankar in Hoshiarpur district, had been visiting her parental home in Basti Jodhewal when the incident occurred.

According to her complaint to the Salem Tabri police, Minakshi was waiting for a bus to Garhshankar around 1.30 pm when five to six women approached her and struck up a conversation.

“They seemed friendly and kept talking to me while we waited,” she told the police. When a Punjab Roadways bus arrived, Minakshi boarded it—followed closely by the same group.

The women reportedly surrounded her near the bus entrance, blocking her from moving further inside. Amid the crowd, one of them allegedly jabbed her with a sharp object near the shoulder, leaving her dizzy and semi-conscious.

According to ASI Harmesh Lal, the investigating officer, the suspects took advantage of the confusion to snatch gold bangles weighing about 40 grams from Minakshi’s wrists. They then got off the bus midway before she could recover or raise an alarm.

Minakshi later regained full consciousness after reaching Garhshankar. It was only when she arrived at the Civil Hospital for a medical check-up that she realised her jewellery was missing. She immediately alerted the police and filed a complaint.

Following her statement, the Salem Tabri police have registered a case against six unidentified women under Sections 115(2), 304, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage from the Jalandhar Bypass area and nearby bus stops to trace the culprits.

“This appears to be a coordinated gang operation targeting women passengers. We are analysing surveillance footage to identify the suspects and their movements,” said ASI Harmesh Lal.

Police suspect the accused may have used a sedative or chemical substance to render the victim temporarily unconscious. They are also verifying if similar incidents have been reported in the area recently.