A police team, who were after an armed group that had made off with around Rs 4 million cash, several mobile phone sets and other valuables after robbing three passenger buses at Swikot-2 in Salyan on Thursday night, exchanged fires with the suspected robbers on Friday.

The suspects managed to flee, leaving behind two assault rifles, their ammunitions and some mobile phone sets at the scene, a riverbank not far away from the place where the robberies had occurred.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Nepal Police Keshav Adhikari said the gun battle ensued when the suspects opened fire when they saw police team approaching.  “There were eight of them and we have identified them. Some of them may have been injured in the confrontation as there were some blood marks at the scene,” DIG Adhikari said.

On Thursday night, a band of masked men had robbed the passengers in three buses en route to Chaurjahari, Rukum, from Nepalgunj, Banke. Most of the passengers were returning home to celebrate Dashain.