May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ have mercy on them and forgive us without accountability for their sake!
It is said that in the past, dacoits at the route of Madinah were strange. When the group of dacoits intended to rob a group of Hajj pilgrims, the pilgrims used to greet them with Salam. The dacoits did not answer to their greeting. If the dacoits said ‘وَعَلَيۡكُمُ السَّلَام’ as an answer, then they did not rob those pilgrims. If they answered the pilgrims after they had robbed them, they would return everything that they had stolen. The dacoits acted in this manner since they were well-aware of the meaning of ‘اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيۡكُم’ (i.e. peace be upon you) and ‘وَعَلَيۡكُمُ السَّلَام’ (i.e. and peace be upon you as well). They had a mindset that how they could rob those people for whom, they, themselves had prayed for peace!
Dear Islamic brothers! مَـعَـاذَ الـلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ, it does not mean that robbery became permissible for the dacoits if they did not answer to the greeting of Salam. We only have to learn from this example that whomever we greet with Salam, we should make our mind that we have declared ‘peace’ for him from causing any trouble. If it happens, then our society can become a Madani society in reality. Also note down the intention that one should make while greeting a Muslim with Salam.