₹7.5 lakh looted from Axis Bank in Tarn Taran

TARNTARAN: Four masked, armed men barged into a branch of Axis Bank at Thathian Mahantan village, 15km from district headquarters, on Friday afternoon and looted ₹7.5 lakh after holding the staff hostage. There were only four people — the manager, two staff members and the security guard — at the bank when the robbery was committed.

“About 2.20pm, four masked men, carrying weapons, entered the bank. One of the them put a gun on the unarmed guard stationed at the entrance. The remaining three accused entered the bank and took out their pistols immediately. One of the three accused a pointed gun at me and other accused hold my two staff members hostage,” said Lakhwinder Singh, branch manager.

“The fourth accused rushed towards the cash room and broke its door as it was locked. The accused then took ₹7.5 lakh and kept the money in his pockets. The robbers then looted wallets of my two staff members and, still, pointing their gun towards us, rushed towards the bank gate to flee. They sat in a white Swift car, without any registration number plate, and fled from the spot,” Lakwinder said, adding the police was immediately called in.

A police team led by superintendent of police (SP) (investigation Tarn Taran) Jagjit Singh Walia rushed to the spot.

“We are searching for CCTV camera footage from nearby areas to ascertain the identity of the accused. Investigation is on,” said SP Walia.

“On the complaint of the branch manager, a case has been registered against the four unidentified men at Sirhali police station, Tarn Taran, under Section 395 (dacoity) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 25, 27 of the Arms Act,” SP Walia added.

FOUR ARMED MEN WITH THEIR FACES COVERED EXECUTED THE DACOITY IN 15 MINUTES AFTER HOLDING THE BANK STAFF HOSTAGE