NOWSHERA, Aug 9: Bandits struck twice here on Friday night and deprived four families of cash, jewellry and valuables.

In the first incident, 13 men broke into the residential quarters of a factory on the Kandi Tazadin branch road here and deprived three families of cash and valuables at gunpoint.

According to Kamdar Khan, seven men, four of whom were armed, entered the house by scaling the boundary wall at around 1.30am on Saturday and held the inmates at gun point.

Another inmate of the house Fazal Hakim said the bandits collected Rs 13,250 from his son Shafqat Hakim, a lecturer, Rs 2,000 from Kamdar Khan, Rs 1,200 from his son Attaullah, Rs 400 from Saleh Akbar and Rs 2,200 from Mohammad Bashir, both factory workers, and Rs 3,600 from a box in the room. He said the bandits also took away prize bonds worth Rs 1,200 and other household articles.

Later, they broke into the quarter of Rehman Gul and held the inmates at gunpoint. They took away Rs 20,000 in cash, two colour TV sets, dish receiver, 12 grams gold ornaments, one bicycle, one mobile set and a 12-bore gun from the house.

They also entered the house of Mohammad Sharif in the vicinity and took away Rs 3,000 in cash, one pistol, three wrist watches and other household items. Before leaving they locked the inmates, who later informed the factory general manager Salim and the police of the incident.

The police claimed to have arrested about 13 suspects. In the other incident in the Akbarpura area, six armed bandits deprived a family of cash and other valuables. Akbarpura union council woman member Hashmat Ara said that six men knocked at the door at around 10pm and asked for her son-in- law Rashid.

The woman said that soon they made her minor grandson hostage and threatened to kill him if the inmates made hue and cry. She said that the bandits demanded cash and jewellery and also threatened that they would kidnap the child if their demand was not met. She said that they took away cash and jewellery worth lakhs of rupees and fled in a car.