Ludhiana, June 28 -- Police have registered a case against three unidentified miscreants for allegedly torching a local businessman's car and making extortion calls demanding Rs.5 lakh.

According to the complainant, 65-year-old Satish Jain, his car was parked and locked in an empty plot outside his house, in Millerganj's Nirankari Mohalla, on June 20 when it suddenly caught fire and was completely destroyed. Jain said the incident appeared suspicious but he initially did not suspect foul play.

However, just two days later, on June 22, the family received a WhatsApp call from an unknown number. The caller, identifying himself as "Pandit gangster," claiming responsibility for setting the car ablaze and demanded Rs.5 lakh, Jain told police...