Rs18 lakh looted in broad daylight

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 20

In a broad daylight robbery, armed persons looted Rs 18 lakh from an employee of a private security agency outside the HDFC Bank situated on the Ferozepur road on Tuesday afternoon. Robbers fired shots while fleeing the spot. However, no one was injured in the incident. The entire crime was captured in the CCTV cameras installed at the bank.

Police Commissioner RN Dhoke, DCP Crime Gagan Ajit Singh, ADCP Crime Rattan Singh Brar, ACP Crime Surinder Mohan and other police officials inspected the crime scene.

The private security company has been hired by the bank for collection of cash from the customers of the bank.

Parvesh, the employee of the private security company, along with driver Mangat Singh and security guard Atma Ram, arrived at the HDFC bank around 2.30 pm in their Swift Dzire car. The moment Parvesh came out of the car with a bag containing cash and started walking towards the bank, two armed men pounced on him. He fell down and the bag slipped from his hands. The robbers fired at the car to prevent the security guard sitting in the vehicle from making retaliatory fire. Before fleeing the spot with the bag, the robbers fired shots into the air.

The security guard also reportedly fired at the Creta in which the robbers were fleeing. In CCTV footage, one robber is seen wearing a red turban and another a blue one.

Dhoke said according to eyewitnesses, the robbers had come in the Creta. While two robbers attacked the employee and took away the bag containing cash, there might be more sitting in the car.

“We are checking footage of the CCTV cameras installed in the nearby area. Technical experts are also on the job to get clear images of the accused from the footage of the cameras installed at the bank. We are hopeful of solving the case soon,” said Dhoke.

Meanwhile, the police took the employees of the security company to the CIA cell for questioning. One of the company employees, Yadwinder Singh, who also deals in cash collection, was also being questioned.