Incidents of mobs targeting police are on the rise in the state capital and places nearby.

On Sunday afternoon three police personnel, including officer-in-charge of Kanke police station, Vinay Kumar Singh, and two constables accompanying him, Parvinder Kumar, and Upendra Sah, suffered injuries after villagers attacked them at Nagri, about 18km from the district headquarters under the jurisdiction of Kanke police station.

They had gone to rescue three persons accused of opening fire on paan shop owner Samshad Ansari alias Guddu.

“Around 200 villagers laid siege on the office where the accused were hiding. As Vinay Kumar Singh heard about it he rushed to rescue around 3.15pm. As villagers realised that the police had come to rescue the accused, they got infuriated and attacked the police team and damaged their vehicles with sticks and stones,” a locality resident said.

Singh confirmed the incident saying he had minor injuries on his left hand, shoulder and knee, and his constables suffered head injuries.

“I am alright but my constables have head injuries and doctors suggested CT scan. Villagers would have lynched the accused in case we had not reached on time,” Singh said.

Asked the reason behind opening fire on Guddu, Singh said: “It was a dispute over collection of Rs 5,000 which Guddu had given to the accused Saddam, Raja and David Sanga. We are investigating it.”

Police were also attacked on May 15 at Parhepat, a village about 18km from the city under Ratu police station area. An FIR o the incident was registered on May 16. A total of 195 men and women have been made accused in the incident. Out of 195 as many as 70 have been named, while 125 are unnamed. On Sunday police arrested eight of them.

On May 16 and May 17, a mob had attacked police personnel at Hindpiri in the heart of the city.