Pabna, Correspondent:

At least three people were injured when a gang of robbers looted at lease 20 vehicles, including microbus and trucks, in Pabna’s Santhia upazila early Saturday.

The robbers placed timber barricades on the Pabna-Bera regional road around 2:00am, stopping vehicles and robbing passengers and drivers for nearly an hour, said Md Saidur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Santhia Police Station

At least 20 vehicles were looted during the attack, the OC said, adding that most trucks and private cars use the Santhia-Bera road to bypass a longer route on the Dhaka-Pabna highway.

“The robbers looted passengers of microbuses and truckers after blocking the road. They also attacked microbus passengers, leaving three injured,” he said.

The victims alerted police by calling the national emergency helpline, 999.

“Upon receiving the information, police rushed to the spot and rescued the victims, but the robbers managed to flee. Efforts are underway to identify and apprehend them,” the OC added.

Asked about the exact number of looted vehicles, he said, “An investigation is ongoing, but no case has been filed yet.”

Although a police check post was present on the main Dhaka-Pabna highway, the robbery took place on a smaller adjacent road, the OC said.

“Following the incident, police patrols have been intensified to ensure security on highways and connecting roads,” the OC said.