Police in Pakistan said 12 men have been detained for questioning after two armed men allegedly raped a woman at gun point in front of her children after her car broke down on a deserted highway.

The alleged rape in Lahore-Sialkot motorway on Wednesday night led to outrage in the country, with people from all walks of life demanding the apprehension of the suspects.

Inspector-General of Punjab Police Inam Ghani said on Thursday they have obtained “evidence” that will lead them to the culprits.

“We have done great work so far in the motorway rape case. We have located the village from which the suspects were from,” Ghani told Geo Pakistan channel.

The woman was allegedly assaulted while waiting for help with her car, which stalled as she crossed a toll plaza on the motorway.

She got a call from a male relative in the nearby city of Gujranwala, who asked her to call the police helpline for help while he also left from home to reach her. When he reached the location, he reportedly found the woman terrified, with her cloths stained in blood.

Lahore police chief Umar Sheikh initially blamed the woman for the incident, for driving on the motorway late at night.

Musarrat Cheema, a spokesperson in the eastern Punjab province, said earlier that raids were being conducted to trace and arrest the culprits.

Human rights minister Shireen Mazari said her ministry’s regional office has asked for an action report from the police.