A gang of robbers looted 33 tourist and passenger buses Wednesday night in central Indian state Jharkhand, the local police said Thursday.

 

The criminals attacked the buses on the Chatra-Ranchi and Chatra-Bagda highway in Chatra district of Jharkhand while they were passing through dense forests there, a senior police officer told Xinhua from Ranchi, state capital of Jharkhand.

 

They robbed passengers off the valuables and hard cash, he said.

 

The victims reported the incidents to the Chatra police Wednesday morning and the police have launched massive raids in the areas to nab the criminals.

 

Chatra, covered with dense forest surrounded by hills and mountains, is considered one of the districts in Jharkhand that were hit by guerrillas most.   

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 15, 2006)