Himalayan News Service

Lahan, January 15:

A gang of robbers looted cash and valuables worth Rs 8.5 million from seven shops and five houses in wards six, seven and eight at Kalyanpur village development committee. The dacoits made off with a large quantity of valuables including ornaments from the house of Parash Shah, said Bijay Kumar Shah, another local.

The gang also looted Rs one lakh in cash and valuables from the house of Laldeo Shah. House owners Ashok Shah, Shrawan Shah, Shambhu Shah, Phulgen Shah and Dahanik Lal Shah were also robbed. With spiralling house-breaks and robberies on the rise in both rural and urban areas of Siraha district, annoyed locals have formed a 35-member civil security committee to combat the dacoits.

The committee formed under the coordination of Niras Chaudhary aims to alert people and work for implementation of peace and security in the locality, said Siraha Deputy Superintendent of Police Tikaram Sijwal. The official civil security committee formed under the coordination of the Lahan area police office is comprised of members from all ten wards of Lahan municipality.

Talking to this daily, coordinator Chaudhary said the committee will be expanded to include members from each and every part of the town. Locals said they felt a sore need for such a committee because security forces are usually unable to reach the spot on time. Hence, the committee would come in handy for controlling crime to some extent, they added.