Guwahati, Aug 22: Assam Police thwarted a bank robbery attempt at Kokrajhar district of Bodoland Territorial Region in western Assam on Sunday afternoon when it intercepted the gang of robbers and shot dead three of their members.

The police engaged in a fierce gun-battle with the robbers about 800 meters away from the concerned Allahabad Bank branch in Bhotgaon village, which is about 6 km from the Kokrajhar town, the district headquarters.

Kokrajhar SP Prateek Thube said the robbers were a team of about 5-6 persons and they fired first.

“The robbers gang fired first and on our police’s retaliation, three of them incurred severe injuries and succumbed to the injuries. The rest, probably two or three members of the gang, managed to escape,” he said.

The robbers had come prepared with instruments to cut the safe inside the bank. Police recovered two arms, a portable gas cylinder and gas operated cutter to cut open the bank’s safe from the deceased.

Meanwhile, Police is yet to identify the slain robbers.

Also, Thube informed that three months back a similar unsuccessful attempt was made to rob the bank. “So, we already had a police team posted around the bank. Also, we had an intelligence input about the same,” he said.

An investigation into the incident has already been initiated.

“The bodies have been sent for autopsy and attempts to identify the three are on. There is already a combing operation on to arrest those who fled. They must not have gone far,” the SP said.

Meanwhile, a fear psychosis has gripped the area where heavy gun firing were heard, locals said.