Ghaziabad, Sep 7 (IANS): A robber was lynched while his accomplice is struggling for his life in a hospital after public overpowered and beat up the duo.

The incident occurred in Murad Nagar town of Ghaziabad Saturday.

Police said three to four robbers had barged into the house of one Hazi Iqbal, a prominent trader of the area, and taken Iqbal and his wife hostage at gun point.

However, the couple's daughter Saina woke up and screamed upon seeing the robbers. Hearing her shrieks, brother Irfan came to save his parents and sister.

The sudden cries of help from the two youngsters forced the robbers to panic and they tried to take to their heels.

In the meantime, other residents came out and succeeded in nabbing two robbers. The rest managed to escape.

Though seniors wanted to hand over the captured duo to the police, youngsters beat them black and blue. While one was lynched, the other was rushed to a hospital from where he was referred to the Meerut medical college. His condition is serious.

"Police have intensified patrolling in the area. A case has been registered and efforts are being made to nab the other robbers," said SP Rural Jagdish Sharma.