KUALA LUMPUR - TWO armed robbers died while trying to flee from more than 50 stall owners and workers at the Selayang Wet Market. They were subsequently cornered and assaulted by the crowd.

The group of men went to the aid of a businessman whom the duo and six other accomplices had robbed in the 8pm incident on Tuesday. The businessman, a 37-year-old regular customer at the market, had been knocked down by a Mistubishi Storm driven by the parang-wielding robbers after he got down from his car.

The two, together with their accomplices who came in a Proton Waja, then repeatedly punched and kicked the businessman before robbing him. The victim fought back and was slashed on his back.

Stall owners and workers, who were alerted by the commotion, rushed over with their parang, iron rods and sticks and cornered the robbers.

The robbers tried to flee in their vehicles but were chased by the crowd. In their haste to escape, the two in the Mitsubishi Storm crashed into a shoplot nearby, which housed a restaurant and handphone shop. The six others managed to flee.

City deputy CID chief Asst Comm Khairi Ahrasa said one of the robbery suspects was killed on the spot while the other died on the way to hospital. Both suffered head injuries and multiple bruises on their body. -- THE STAR