Kasargod, September 8: Team of burglars which entered Eriyal branch of Kudlu Service Cooperative Bank located adjacent to the National Highway tied the bank staffs, brandished knife at them and looted gold jewellery worth Rs 5.28 crores and cash Rs 14 lakhs.
Group of five masked men barged into the bank at around 2.00pm on Monday afternoon and looted the bank. Bank staff Bindu who was injured after attack by the burglars has been admitted to hospital. The gold jewellery which Bindu was wearing and also the 12 pavans of gold brought by a woman customer to the bank to raise loan against it was also snatched away by the thieves.
Police during investigations could not find out the finger prints of thieves. The lady staffs at the bank as well as the woman customer said the police that burglars were wearing black glouse.
Incident details:
Group of five masked men armed with weapons entered the bank and closed the shutters from the inside. Two woman staff identified as Laxmi and Bindu screamed for help. The robbers brandished their weapons threatened them. Later they made Laxmi and Bindu to sit on a chair, tied them up and also tied piece of cloth to their mouth. They also threatened a woman customer named Banu from Manjattadka.
The thieves later broke open the lockers and fled with gold worth 5.28 crore and cash worth Rs 14 lakhs.
Customer Bhanu followed thieves while they ran out and saw them escaping on two bikes. Immediately Bhanu raised an alarm. Hearing this, the locals rushed to the spot and released the bank staffs.
The bank manager had been out for lunch at the time. He had placed the lockers key on the table while moving out which was beneficial for the thieves, allege the locals.
Superintendent of police M Srinivas and other police officials arrived at the spot and investigations are on.
The bank has neither CCTV camera nor security guard. In 2001, the same bank was robbed during the night, and 7 kg of gold was stolen. Six persons were arrested in the case and sentenced recently.
Shawls, two knives found:
Police have intensified the investigations and have seized the two knives used for threatening at the bank. Police collected red coloured shawls used by the burglars to cover their faces which they had thrown near a petrol bunk.
Canine squad and fingerprint experts were also brought to the bank. The investigations are carried out under the directions of Kasargod district SP Dr Srinivas. Police have collected information from bank employees and also the customer.
