Police claimed that three "robbers" were killed in a "mob beating" while they were reportedly trying to commit a robbery in Krishnanagar of Jessore's Jhikargacha early yesterday, but the villagers said they knew nothing about the incident.

Locals found three bodies in Bangabandhu Park on the Kobadak river yesterday morning.

The identities of the three victims, aged between 30 and 40, could not be known immediately. It was not clear whether they were shot or hacked to death.

Mollah Khabir Ahmed, officer-in-charge of Jhikargacha Police Station, said around 3:00am, the villagers caught the three "robbers" while a gang was trying to commit a robbery in Krishnanagar.

The villagers then beat up the "robbers", leaving them dead on the spot. 

However, locals said they had no information about any robbery incident in the area on that night. They rather thought that the victims were killed somewhere else and left there later. 

Local ward councillor Shariful Islam said he went to the spot after hearing the news. He said he did not hear of any attempted robbery or any mob beating in the village.

Mehedi and Meherul of Krishnanagar and Hasan Ali of Mobarakpur village also said they heard that three "robbers" were killed in a "mob beating" during a robbery. But no such incident took place in the village, they added.

On Monday night, Assistant Sub-Inspector Towhidul Islam was stabbed by robbers in Wapda area of Jhikargacha. He is now undergoing treatment at Jessore Medical College Hospital.

OC Mollah Khabir said police would investigate whether the victims were involved in the attack.