Antsiranana, a peaceful town in northern Madagascar, was the scene of a shocking tragedy on Tuesday night, around 10:30 p.m. A bartender lost his life during a brutal attack by three armed individuals. The mayor of Ankarongana alerted the gendarmerie outpost, triggering a rapid response from the authorities.
Four members of the unit immediately went to the scene to carry out investigations, gather information and launch a thorough investigation. Unfortunately, upon their arrival, the victim, a father aged around 55 and owner of the bar, had already been transported to the local CSB II. A few minutes later, he succumbed to his injuries.
According to the statements of the victim’s wife, around 9:00 p.m., three unidentified individuals presented themselves as customers in the family bar to consume drinks. While the woman was briefly out, these individuals violently attacked her husband using a bladed weapon or a knife, inflicting deep wounds on his face and throat. The attackers fled after committing this heinous act, without stealing any items.
The authorities, in collaboration with the local population, launched search and pursuit operations to apprehend the criminals responsible for this tragedy. However, this incident is unfortunately not isolated, and it highlights the growing problem of insecurity which also affects rural areas.
Rural residents face a growing threat, particularly with the increase in dahalo attacks, formerly known for stealing zebus. Nowadays, these criminals go beyond simple livestock theft by attacking valuable goods and even carrying out kidnappings, thus fueling the kidnapping phenomenon.
At the same time, urban areas are not spared from criminal acts, with an increase in crimes such as burglaries, pickpocketing and assaults. Faced with this persistent threat, the population expresses its frustration through popular vindictiveness. Recent cases of spontaneous vigilantism have been reported, with bandits lynched by mobs.
The question is whether this growing violence is the result of widespread frustration due to persistent insecurity or the impunity of criminals.
Yv Sam