Patna, April 5: Two extortionists died at Patna Medical College and Hospital after a violent mob beat them up on Boring Road today.

Another criminal, who escaped with minor injuries, is undergoing treatment at the same hospital. Police managed to arrest the fourth extortionist while he was trying to flee.

According to deputy superintendent of police Arshad Jaman, the incident was the outcome of an argument over an extortion demand at a liquor shop on the same road. ?One of the four criminals was said to have come to a liquor shop and demanded free alcohol this afternoon. When the shop owner refused, he left the place, only to return with three others. A mob caught hold of two and thrashed them badly,? he said.

Eyewitnesses said the mob beat up the criminals for over 20 minutes with a sub-inspector of the nearby Sri Krishnapuri police station standing nearby but looking the other way.

On the other hand, some witnesses held that the police did not turn up at all when the mob was attacking the criminals with sticks and bricks.

DSP Jaman said the liquor shop owner had filed an FIR with Sri Krishnapuri police station, following which a team was sent to arrest the extortionists.

Patna police recently claimed to have controlled crime in the capital. ?Crime has come down drastically in the past month after President?s rule was imposed. This is the first time that Boring Road has witnessed a major incident,? Jaman said.

One of the criminals has been identified as Bunty, who had been jailed earlier in a petrol pump loot case a few years ago. ?We have also seized a pistol, nine cartridges, three mobile phones and a pocket diary with addresses,? the police said.

In Bihta, about 30 km from the capital, two people were killed following a land dispute, sources said.

Sudarshan Rai and his son Sunil were done to death by a group of people when a quarrel over a disputed plot of land belonging to a shrine took a violent turn.

Danapur DSP Muhammad Dilnawaz said the police are looking into the case and a case would soon be lodged against the culprits.