Villagers apprehend 8 as door-breaking gang terrorizes Jhargram nights

A wave of fear has gripped several villages in Jhargram district following repeated night-time incidents involving a mysterious ‘door-breaking gang’. Areas under Lodhashuli, Manikpara and Guptamani in the Jhargram block have reported a group of six to seven people arriving in a four-wheeled vehicle and forcefully kicking or breaking doors of houses before fleeing without committing any theft.

The tension peaked late Saturday night in Dahatmul village under Lodhashuli Gram Panchayat, where alert villagers managed to apprehend eight gang members along with their vehicle. Weapons such as sickles and sticks were reportedly recovered from the vehicle. Angry residents thrashed the suspects before informing the police, who arrived promptly and took all eight into custody for interrogation. Residents say the disturbing activities began four to five days ago and have included door-breaking and alleged bomb detonations, forcing people to remain indoors after dark. On Friday night, doors of two houses were broken, while on Saturday night around 11:30 pm, villagers noticed a suspicious vehicle roaming the area. When the occupants attempted to flee after trying to break another door, villagers from multiple nearby areas surrounded the vehicle and caught them.

The unexplained nature of the acts has fueled rumours and heightened anxiety across villages, with many residents keeping night-long vigil armed with sticks and clubs. Local panchayat representatives confirmed similar reports from Sardih and Shuknakhali areas and urged increased police patrolling, while announcing plans to alert villagers through loudspeakers to maintain vigilance.