Robbers loot Rs 14L from Nawada bank

PATNA: Bank robbers in the state are on a heist spree striking for the third day in a row on Thursday, escaping with around Rs 14 lakh from a Dakshin Bihar Gramin Bank branch at a village in Nawada district.
A gang of at least half a dozen armed men entered the branch at Basti Bigha village under the Nardiganj police station area and took everyone hostage at gunpoint.
This is the seventh bank loot in Bihar since January 8 this year, and the third in a row since Tuesday when robbers struck at a Uco Bank branch in Begusarai and made off with Rs 5.85 lakh.
On Wednesday, bank robbers targeted an SBI's Jitwarpur Chauth branch in Samastipur and looted Rs 5.29 lakh.
After Thursday's loot, the Basti Bigha branch's assistant manager Anita Kumari told TOI over the phone that at least five to six heavily armed criminals barged in around 1.40 pm.
“They thrashed our cashier Rajeev Ranjan and forced him to open the iron chest at gunpoint. They also collected money from the cash counter. Altogether Rs 14,35,200 was looted as per initial counting. Further verification is going on,” she said.
“As my workstation is right next to the branch main gate, one of the criminals pointed a pistol on my temple and ordered me to stay silent soon after entering,” she said
Anita said the robbers barely took seven to eight minutes to rob the bank and fled.
“Before leaving with the cash, the criminals forced all of us to move inside the chest room and locked the iron grill from outside. We somehow managed to slide the grill’s latch to set ourselves free. I informed my senior authorities and police about the loot,” she said.
Anita further said there were altogether three bank staff inside the branch, including her, and four female customers at the time of the loot.
She said more than Rs 15 lakh was brought to the branch on Wednesday for loan disbursal. “Only a small amount was disbursed while the rest amount was lying in the chest,” she added.
Nawada SP Dhurat Saayli Savlaram said the district border was sealed soon after receiving information about the loot. “Intensive raids are going on to nab them. At least six criminals carried out the loot,” she said.
The SP said it would be hard to comment immediately if criminals involved in Begusarai and Samastipur bank loot are also involved in the Nawada incident or a separate gang committed the crime.