Post News Network
Rengali, May 23: Hot on the heels of an incident in which miscreants looted Rs 25 lakh from three persons at gunpoint in neighbouring Jharsuguda district, armed miscreants looted Rs 2.18 lakh from a branch of Punjab National Bank here in Sambalpur district Saturday.
The gang of five persons looted the bank cash in broad daylight, sending shock waves among the locals.
On being informed, Thelakuli police station IIC RK Samal, sub-inspector Puspa Kisan, Rengali police station IIC Mihir Kumar Panda, sub-divisional police officer Utkal Keshari Das and others reached the spot and started an
investigation.
Though police conducted raids at various places along Jharsuguda-Sambalpur road, no arrest was made till the report was filed.
Police registered a case at Thelakuli police station in connection with the crime. All the accused would be put behind the bars soon, said Thelakuli
police station IIC.
According to sources, five miscreants, who came on two red-colour motorbikes, entered the bank at around 11.30 am. Three of them pulled out their guns and terrorised the banks officials as well as customers.
Later, one of the miscreants put a gun in the mouth of bank manager, Sharat Kumar Das, and threatened to kill him. The dacoits then took Rs 2.18 lakh from the counter and strong room and fled the area.
Eyewitnesses said the dacoits also damaged CCTV cameras and computers installed in the bank before fleeing towards Jharsuguda. “They also threatened customers and bank officials of dire consequences in case they made any complaint with police,” an eyewitness said.
The branch manager sustained injuries as the miscreants put a gun in his mouth. Police said they were trying to identify the dacoits with the help of bank officials and customers.
In an earlier incident, miscreants had looted Rs 25 lakh from three persons in Jharsuguda district when they were proceeding to Brajrajnagar after withdrawing the money from a branch of Punjab National Bank in the district.