Bhubaneswar, Jan. 4: A mob lynched two robbers following a bank robbery near Ranpur in Nayagarh district, 70km from here.

Another member of the gang suffered serious injuries in the assault. The trio were trying to flee after looting Rs 3 lakh from a nationalised bank at Kasanda village within Ranpur police limits when local residents managed to overpower them.

According to witnesses, three motorcycle-borne criminals entered the bank around 3pm and took Rs 3 lakh kept in the strong room. But by that time, local residents had gathered at the spot.

"The robbers had sharp weapons. The villagers were initially reluctant to stop them, but they soon began pelting them with stones. This caused the motorcycle to skid off the road and the trio fell on the ground," a witness said.

Later, the mob thrashed the trio with bamboo sticks and stones.

"We are analysing footage from the bank's CCTV cameras," said Nayagarh superintendent of police Kanwar Vishal Singh.

Builder held

Police today arrested Siba Chotray, the managing director of Srabani Constructions, a realty firm, for allegedly cheating customers of nearly Rs 2 crore on the pretext of getting them flats and plots in Bhubaneswar and outskirts.