Rs 38 lakh looted in daring ICICI Bank heist in UP's Ambedkarnagar

FAIZABAD: In a daring daylight robbery on Tuesdsay, more than six masked armed robbers struck at the ICICI Bank branch in Ambedkarnagar district, held the staff and customers hostage and decamped with Rs 38 lakh in cash.
Police said the robbers arrived at the bank in densely-populated area of Tanda town on two-wheelers, entered the branch waving guns with faces covered and opened fire at the security guard but missed.
As per eyewitness accounts, the robbers split into groups, while one held staff and customers hostage at gun point besides keeping an eye on entrance, the other went to cash counter and stuffed bundles of currency notes in their bags, said police. Police suspect that some more gang members may have stayed outside on guard.The brazen robbery lasted barely 5 minutes and the gang walked out unchallenged firing shots in the air and sped away on motorcycles.
Senior police officials rushed to the spot on getting information about the incident.
‘Robbers used sophisticated prohibited 9mm bore firearms’
“The bank employees have informed that robbers looted Rs 38 lakh,” inspector general of police, Faizabad range, V K Gupta told TOI.
Police recovered bullet shells of prohibited 9 mm bore from the spot suggesting that robbers used sophisticated prohibited bore firearms.
Ambedkarnagar SP, Virendra Kumar Mishra, said, “CCTV cameras are installed in the bank branch and we are scanning their footage to identity the robbers. We will provide the details later.”
R P Rai, circle officer, Tanda, said, “There were six to seven masked men who committed robbery. We are trying to identify them.”
The cashier of ICICI Bank branch, Vineet Raghuvanshi, gave a complaint of robbery to police, stating that armed masked men snatched Rs 38, 37,300 from the cash counter and fled.
There were few customers and 6 employees in the bank at the time of incident, he said.