Bolangir: Three bike-borne criminals Tuesday looted Rs 19 lakh in broad daylight near Bangla Chhak at Deogaon in Bolangir district.
Sources said the criminals intercepted a cash van and looted the money being taken from Tushara branch to Bandhapada branch of the Andhra Bank.
Driver Ghansyam Ghadei, cashier Motilal Nag and peon Gandhi Mandal were present in the vehicle.
The miscreants waylaid the vehicle at a deserted place near Sarasbahal Square and attacked the three employees before breaking the car’s window panes. They unleashed a reign of terror by holding the three at gunpoint.
The criminals then fired at the vehicle, assaulted the driver and decamped with the money. The driver was admitted to the district headquarter hospital with serious injuries.
Tusura IIC Panchanana Nayak reached the spot with his team and launched a probe. The police team also visited the injured and held talks with them. Meanwhile, the police sealed all check-posts to nab the robbers after the bank staffers lodged a complaint.
A forensic team and dog squad were pressed into service. Although no one was arrested till the filing of this report, it is suspected that the men had planned the robbery in advance as the bank staffers used to take the route everyday to deposit cash in the branch.
PNN
