Suri, Feb. 21: An armed gang intercepted a tourist bus at Rajnagar early this morning and robbed its passengers of cash and jewellery worth Rs 60,000.

The miscreants fled under the cover of darkness as soon as a police patrol reached the spot, about 240 km from Calcutta.

According to police sources, the bus was on its way to Bakreswar from Hooghly. “The bus was crossing Ghat Durlabhpur bridge around 4.20 am when it came to a screeching halt. Seeing the road blocked with boulders, the driver sensed trouble. But before he could do anything, the miscreants hurled a bomb and the windscreen was smashed under the impact,” an officer of the local police station said.

Policemen on patrol at the nearby Panagarh-Moregram highway headed for the spot as soon as they heard the explosion.

“The robbers gained control of the situation within no time and completed their operation before we could reach the spot as most passengers were panic-stricken and put up little resistance, willingly handing over cash and jewellery,” the officer said.

Seeing the police patrol approaching, the miscreants fled. The passengers, dumbfounded by the sudden attack, took time before they could tell the police about the robbery.

Bikash Manna, a passenger, said the gang of eight to 10 men barged into the bus armed with revolvers and bhojalis. “They threatened us that anyone who resisted would have to pay with his life. The ones who hesitated in parting with their belongings were warned and their possessions snatched away,” Manna said.

Kalyan Roy, the officer-in-charge of Rajnagar police station, said the situation could have been worse had the police not reached the spot in time. “There could have been casualties if they had more time in hand. I must say that my men did a good job. But we are yet to arrest the gang members. Local residents have come forward to help us identify the gang,” Roy said.

However, some residents alleged that the police are responsible for the frequent incidents of highway robbery in the area. “We have asked them time and again to increase the number of police personnel on patrol on the stretch but it has fallen on deaf ears. In recent times, we have seen an increase in the number of crimes,” said Nirmal Saha, a resident of the area.

Denying the allegations, Roy said adequate security arrangements have been made to prevent robberies on the highway as well as in the surrounding areas. “This was unfortunate but we have taken measures to protect the residents as well as the tourists passing by the area. Raids are on but so far we have not been able to arrest anyone.”

Dacoits arrested

Five armed dacoits were arrested from Dankuni in Hooghly on Saturday. Sachin Paria, officer-in-charge of the local police station, said a group of 15 miscreants had assembled to rob a mill in the vicinity when the police intercepted them.