Patnagarh: In a broad daylight robbery, looters fled with a sum of `3 lakh after breaking open a safe at Utkal Grameen Bank at Jogimunda Hatapda under Patnagarh police limits in Bolangir district.
The loot came to light after the bank opened for work Monday morning. On receiving a complaint from bank officials, district SP Asish Kumar Singh, Patnagarh SDPO Pradeep Kumar Mahapatra and IIC Nirmal Kumar Mahapatra reached the bank and began an investigation.
A scientific team and sniffer dogs were deployed, police said. The looters struck the bank by scaling the wall of a school situated adjoining the bank, police said. Police sources speculate that the incident occurred either Saturday night or Sunday night.
Four employees opened the bank Monday. On opening the bank, they noticed a window grill broken with the help of a gas cutter. The robbers had also switched off the mains, shrouding the office in darkness.
Upon investigation, officials found two treasury boxes open with `3 lakh cash missing. The robbers used a gas cutter to decamp with the loot, police said.
Meanwhile, gold ornaments worth weighing 200gm were suspected to be looted by the robbers. According to police, bank manager Sudeep Mahakud was on holiday and had handed over charge to Khaprakhol branch field officer Ghanshyam Padhan.
As usual, the bank opened Saturday and closed in the evening. Sunday was a holiday and the incident came to light only Monday morning, bank employees said.
Robbers had earlier in January 2013 looted a camera and a computer from the bank.
Similarly, April 19, 2014, some miscreants entered the bank but were unable to loot anything. This was the third strike at the bank bringing to light the sorry safety measures at the bank. PNN
