The armed robbers were killed in retaliation by locals. The villagers chased and caught five of the around 20 robbers who were fleeing toward the Indian border after robbing Bhumi Raj Rajbanshi´s house at Pathariya at midnight. [break]
They beat one of the robbers to death on the spot and handed over two others to police in Pathariya after beating them up also. Chief District Officer (CDO) of Jhapa Kumar Shrestha said thousands of villagers snatched the robbers from the police and beat them up mercilessly. One robber died while being taken to hospital and another is in critical condition at Mechi Zonal Hospital. Likewise, one robber was found by people in Kechana and beaten to death there.
Injured robber Mujahid Alam is now under the control of police, who quoted him as saying that those killed were Majid Alam and Jeharuddin Miya. The other dead man has not been identified.
Jhapa police claim that the robbers are members of professional gangs in West Bengal and Kishangunj, Bihar. Majid Alam, 40, and Miya, 26, were wanted criminals in India, police said. "We have not received official confirmation from the Indian side but we have information those killed were notorious criminals there," acting chief of police in Jhapa Durga Thapa said.
Rajbanshi, whose house the dacoits targeted, is a school teacher and a resource person at the Resource Center in Pathariya. The masked robbers broken into the house and tied up all seven members of the family.
Rajbanshi also owns a tea plantation and family sources said he had received Rs 500,000 selling tea leaves just a day before the robbery. The robbers looted the amount, three tola of gold and 35 tola silver from the house. Police said none of the loot has been recovered yet.
Police expressed their helplessness in saving the dacoits despite their firing 27 shots in the air. "There were just 18 police and the locals numbered more than 5,000. How could they save the robbers in such circumstances," Inspector Thapa argued. Police officer Durga Rajbanshi was injured during confrontation with Pathariya locals.
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