Bank heist at Sanquelim, 10 lakh, gold stolen

Manager held at gunpoint 3 arrested

A taxi operator is among three persons arrested and two others are on a run in a bizarre bank robbery in Sanquelim. The police are however investigating “all angles” into the case.

Jitendra Kumar and Raju Kumar Das, both daily wagers and residents of Goa Velha; and taxi operator Sahil Khan alias Niyaz from Sattari who is believed to be the mastermind behind the filmy-style daring bank heist were arrested after a massive hunt by the North Goa Police.

SBI Querim Bank Manager Sunil Pachanekar was held hostage by unknown persons, who not only criminally restrained him but also held him at gunpoint to execute the planned robbery.

The 36-year-old Mumbai native was targeted while he was on his two-wheeler to proceed to his home in Caranzalem.

“They caught the Bank Manager when he was near his two-wheeler to return to his home in Caranzalem. Thereafter some masked

men forcibly took him in a WagonR Car bearing registration number GA-01-R-7724 to various destinations at Sanquelim. They then forced the victim to open the main shutter of the SBI Querim Branch and unlock their safe vault”, Inspector General of Police Omvir Singh said at a press conference held in police headquarters on Friday evening. The victim was held hostage from 8:30 pm on September 13 to 8:30 am on September 14.

The victim, the officer added, was mentally tortured and asked to call the cashier to open the bank and the lockers.

As he quoted the complaint letter, Singh further said that the accused stole away cash of Rs 10 lakh approximately in different denominations and 6 pouches containing gold belonging to customers. The victim was then dumped in Old Goa