A garda was attacked by a gang that held four people hostage during a tiger kidnapping and attempted robbery of a post office in Co Roscommon.
Four masked men entered a house adjoining the post office in Clonfad at 11pm and tied up the former post master.
The gang then brought him to another house where they kidnapped the current post mistress and her parents before bringing all four victims back to the house beside the post office.
The alarm was raised this morning and local gardaí went to the post office.
A garda who confronted the gang was attacked with shovels and bars, receiving minor injuries. Nobody else was injured during the incident and no money was taken.
The men escaped in a green Volkswagen hatchback car with a 06 Mayo registration number.
Gardaí are appealing for information to anybody who was in the area of Clonfad and Williamstown yesterday evening and who saw anything suspicious or who may have information about the car to contact them at Castlerea on 094-9621630, the Garda Confidential Line 1800-666-111 or any Garda station.
It is the second tiger kidnapping in two days. Four men ordered an An Post worker to take cash from the GPO in Dublin on Tuesday morning while his wife and two children were held hostage in Co Kildare.