Balasore: In a bizarre incident, three persons were critically injured in a group clash with a gang of robbers at Haridapada village under Soro police limits in Balasore district Saturday night.
According to a source, Sudam Charan Bauli, a resident of Haridapada village was returning home riding a bike Saturday night. At Pitakalia Chowk, a gang of robbers stopped him on his way and asked him to handover whatever valuables he had with him.
Sudam somehow managed to pass the information to his family members seeking their help. Seeing him talking to his family over mobile phone, the miscreants started beating him.
Hearing his cries, some local residents came to his rescue and his family members joined later. The next scene turned uglier. A violent group clash ensued between the villagers and the robbers. While the villagers were trying to hold them till the arrival of police, the robbers were trying to escape from the clutches of villagers.
On being informed, police reached the spot but by then all but one managed to flee from the spot. The police have detained one and launched a manhunt to nab his accomplices.
In the melee, three villagers including Sudam suffered critical injuries and are undergoing treatment at a hospital in Soro.
PNN