Lynch mobs continued to seek out suspected robbers as they had fled their deep forest hideouts in the face of combing operations by law enforcers since Sunday.

Thousands of vengeful villagers have joined the manhunts and are on the lookout for every opportunity to take the law into their own hands.

Eight robbers were killed on Sunday, 19 on Monday and four on Tuesday by frenzied villagers who have long lived under the threat of loot, murder and rape by robbers.

During yesterday's incident, locals caught alleged bandits Abul Kalam from Char Majid and Jasim 'Commander' from Nayagram in the morning as they fled their hideouts in the deep forest during a combing operation by police, BDR (Bangladesh Rifles) and coastguards.

Both died from severe mob beating. Selim, another alleged robber, succumbed to his injuries in a similar lynching incident earlier in the morning. All three men are alleged operatives of the infamous Bashar Majhi gang.

In separate incidents yesterday, groups of locals caught Shahabuddin from Nayapara and Hamid 'Commander' from Char Majid -- two other alleged robbers -- and gouged their eyes out. The two men were also severely beaten by the mob.

Meanwhile, law enforcers arrested 40 alleged robbers with the help of local people and seized two light guns and a pipe gun along with 15 rounds of ammunition.

Of them, 22 were arrested in Nalerchar and Bayerchar by coastguards, five in Bashar Majhirhat by the BDR while the rest were rounded up by police from Char Clerk and Char Bata areas.

A diary containing names and telephone numbers of political leaders, industrialists and journalists allegedly maintaining liaison with the bandits was also recovered during yesterday's operations, sources said.

Angry locals also set fire to three houses of suspected bandits near Bashar Majhirhat yesterday.