Ludhiana, May 25 -- Eight passengers travelling in a shared auto-rickshaw were allegedly looted at knifepoint by the driver and his accomplices near Basti Jodhewal in Ludhiana on Saturday morning, with one passenger allegedly forced to transfer Rs.58,300 through online transactions after his mobile phone was snatched.

According to police, the incident took place around 4.45 am after passengers boarded the auto-rickshaw near the railway station. The complainant, Dilip Kumar Maurya, told police that he had arrived in Ludhiana to visit his sister and boarded the shared auto along with seven other passengers.

Maurya alleged that the auto driver stopped the vehicle near Basti Jodhewal, where two armed accomplices joined him. The trio, allege...