Rautahat, March 29:

Two locals were killed and five others seriously injured when clashes erupted between armed robbers and the locals of Chetnagar, Dumariya Matiaun VDC, of Rautahat district, last night.

A group of around 60 dacoits gheraod the village before decamping with property worth over Rs 3.5 million — ornaments, cash, clothes, among other valuables — from over

100 houses, locals said. During the looting spree from 10: 30 pm to 3: 30 am, the dacoits beat up villagers, including women and children.

Though the villagers informed the security forces based at Chandranigahapur, Garuda and Gaur about the incident on time, the forces were nowhere to be seen, a robbery victim, Shiv Prasad Poudel, said. As no security forces arrived, the locals were compelled to fend for themselves and retaliated.

As the dacoits fired indiscriminately, one Kapilmuni Timilsina of Chetnagar was killed on the spot while his cousin, Pushpa Raj Timilsina, died en route to Birgunj for treatment. Kamal Devkota, Chhabilal Devkota and Janak Timilsina, all seriously hurt, are undergoing treatment in Birgunj-based Narayani Sub-regional Zonal Hospital, while two others, Sanjay Choudhary and Ram Sahay Yadav, are undergoing treatment at a local health post. All the five persons are in a critical condition, sources said.

If the security forces had arrived on time, there would have been no casualties, the victims said.

The gang looted the houses of Shiv Prasad Poudel, Pralhad KC, Dul Prasad Timilsina, Padam Timilsina, Dipak Timilsina, Ram Bahadur Maske and Hari Timilsina, among others.

The dacoits also beat up Devaki Poudel, Saraswati Poudel, Renuka Sapkota, Rama Sapkota, Raj Kumar Sapkota, Bharat Timilsina and Kamal Prasad Poudel, according to the villagers.

SP Keshav Prasad Adhikari of the District Police Office confirmed the incident and said

security forces from the Security Base Camp, Garuda and Chandranigahapur were inspecting the incident site.