Residents in Kilinochchi caught a group of armed men who had arrived at a location with the intention of robbing several houses.

A six member gang with knives and swords had arrived at the YMCA residential area in Kilinochchi early this morning on three motorbikes.

Residents in the area, on being alerted of the move by the gang to rob the houses, surrounded the men and attempted to catch them.

The area residents caught four of the men while two managed to escape. The men were tied and handed over to the police together with the knives and swords.