Locals of Katkuinya, a village in mid-western Banke district near Nepal-India border, came out of their homes to patrol their locality on Sunday as they feared Maoist reprisal after the lynching of five militants last evening.

Reports from the district said the dead bodies of five Maoists including three women remained unattended throughout the day today. Even as local authorities claimed that security forces were already on their way to the area, no security presence was visible.

Fearing backlash from the Maoists, the villagers – with domestic weapons in their hands- have been keeping vigil in the area, reports added.

The locals had chased and later lynched at least five rebels after they abducted a villager yesterday.

The incident comes weeks after similar retaliation by local people in Makwanpur, Dhading and Nuwakot districts against suspected Maoists. Rights groups blamed security forces of promoting vigilantes to take on suspected rebels. The authorities deny such allegations.