Armed gang storm busy factory

POLICE are continuing to probe a terrifying raid in which a businessman was attacked when a nine-strong gang armed with baseball bats and metal rods burst into a busy factory in broad daylight.

The thugs entered Grameen Cutting and Sewing, Main Road, Westwood, at around 11.20am on March 11.

Staff were threatened and told to hand over cash as the gang tried to knock down a door inside the building.

When factory owner Mohammed Shalim Chowdhury refused, he was struck with a baseball bat and left with bruising around his mouth and neck.

Burst

The 42-year-old said: “Everybody was getting on with their work when the gang burst in and threatened to attack us.

“My wife, Shelley Rahman, locked herself in the office when she heard screaming and shouting.

“The gang tried to knock the door down. Because they couldn’t, they smashed the window above it instead.

“There was about 30 women workers and four or five men present at the time. They were all left traumatised.”

PC Katherine Murray said: “The victim and witnesses were understandably left terrified by the ordeal and Greater Manchester Police is committed to finding the men responsible.”