Trader’s house looted

Statesman News Service

MALDA, 24 SEPT: Armed dacoits looted a trader's house injuring three persons of the family at Dhantala near Kotwali in English Bazaar police station last night. According to the police, 13 armed men barged into a trader, Mr Madhusudan Das's house last night and asked the family members to hand over cash and jewelry. The gang took away all valuables that they could lay their hands on. The robbers beat the trader's son Mr Samiran Das severely when he tried to resist. They also roughed up Mr Das's wife Mrs Lakshmi Das when she refused to hand over her ornaments. The robbers snatched her earrings injuring her. Mr Das's neighbours had apparently been alerted while the robbery was on and had informed the police of the happening over phone. The robbers hurled bombs while leaving which injured a villager Mr Aniruddha Das. The villagers alleged that police arrived late on the scene, which allowed the culprits to get away. One of the villagers Mr Ashok Mandal expressed unhappiness over the police's role. The inspector in-charge of the local police station Mr Bipul Majumdar said: “The police have detected the gang. Efforts are on to arrest the gang members.”