Three suspected robbers were beaten to death by locals at Uttar Kattali in Chittagong city early yesterday.

Police with the help of locals caught five other alleged robbers while they were fleeing. Law enforcers also recovered two light guns (LGs), four sharp weapons and a hockey stick from the spot.

Two of the deceased were identified as Mohammad Sagar, 30, and Mohammad Russell, 22. The identity of the other deceased could not be known immediately.

The detainees are Monir Islam, of Patuakhali, Mohammad Rubel of Bhola, Mohammad Ala Uddin and Mohammad Rana alias Ismail, of Comilla, and Mohammad Rubel of Barguna.

Of the detainees, aged between 17 and 18, four lived in Sardarghat area and Rubel in Baklia in the port city.

Some 12 to 15 robbers went to Beribandh area of Uttar Kattali to commit a robbery around 3:00am. They tried to enter the house of one Zaker Ali Sawdagar there, said Sadip Das, officer-in-charge of Akbar Shah Police Station.

Sensing the robbers' presence, locals, who were guarding the area, chased them. When the news spread, locals surrounded the whole area and caught three of the criminals and beat them up, killing the trio on the spot.

Local ward councillor Nichhar Uddin Ahmed said locals had earlier foiled several robbery attempts.

At the police administration's suggestion, locals divided into several teams and started guarding the area at night as incidents of robbery increased recently, said the councillor.

On April 19, a restaurant in the area was robbed, said locals.

When asked, detained Rubel said four other detainees and he worked as labourers at a fish market at Karnaphuli ghat.

He along with the four went to Beribandh area as Sagar and Russell, who were also labourers at Karnaphuli ghat, asked them to meet there, said Rubel.

After they reached the spot, they saw some unknown people there, he added.

Sagar then told them that they were going to rob a house, he added.

The bodies of the deceased were sent to Chittagong Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsies.

The five detainees were kept in police custody for interrogation, said police.